It's Not Over
by jerseygirlinoxford
Summary: Sequel to How Things Change.
1. Chapter 1

**It's Not Over**by Jersey Girl in Oxford (Sue)

Okay folks….from your emails, I know this is long overdue! Here is the sequel to How Things Change. I am almost done with this and usually don't post until it's completed….but since it's been more than 6 months with the cliff hanger I left you, I decided to go against my own rules this one time. This is the Prologue and Chapter One. I am going to post a chapter a week while I finish the story. I have it in my head but need to get it into my computer. Also, I listened to the feedback about being easier to read on if I posted by chapter. I apologize this took so long. I got side tracked on so many stories and kept pushing this aside. As I finish this, I will also be starting on the 4th story so hopefully, that will only take a couple months before that one is posted. Thanks to all of you and your amazing reviews! I appreciate all the support you have given me and that pushes me forward. Special thanks to Kym, Beth, Marilyn, and my first fan, Xylia, for their feedback. And for those that don't read works in progress, it really is almost done, but you can wait a few more weeks to read if you prefer.

**Prologue**

"_No_ Carlos…you _don't_ understand. I'm _so_ sorry to put _you_ through all this. I'm _still _pregnant!" She removed her hand. He furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Babe?"

"I _didn't_ lose the baby….we made that up," Stephanie whispered. Ranger's head was spinning. He blinked several times…not believing what he just heard. When he didn't answer right away, she began to back away from him. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him again.

"You're _still_ pregnant?" he asked her softly hoping and praying that he didn't misunderstand what she had just said. She nodded.

"I'm _sorry_ we lied to you, Carlos. When we found out that Jeanne Ellen was trying to hurt me so I'd lose the baby, I thought it would be best if she _thought_ she succeeded. It was _my_ idea but I thought the plan would be to tell_ you_ the truth!" she explained. Tank spoke from the doorway.

"His reaction had to be real, Bombshell. Jeanne Ellen might have been able to see through him. It was the only way the plan would work." Ranger looked back at Tank and nodded.

"What happened?" He brushed away her tears with his thumb. Lester brought her a bottle of water as they all sat around Ranger and Stephanie to explain.

"I told you that Hal ordered pizza when I talked to you last." Ranger nodded for her to continue. "Well, I heard Ivy growling. She _never _growls so it scared me."

"I was carrying the pizza to the kitchen and she was growling at me. Then she started barking. I put the boxes down on the coffee table and she grabbed one. I tried to take it away from her and the pizza flipped out on the carpet," Hal said. Stephanie took it from there.

"I yelled at her, and she backed off. I went to clean up the mess when I saw a little yellow chunk. I looked through the rest of the pizza and found some more. We looked at the other pizzas and there was a chalk like substance on all of them. They also had some small yellow chunks. Ivy started growling again. It was the _same_ color yellow as the pills we found in Jeanne Ellen's apartment, Carlos!"

"Morelli took the pieces to have them analyzed, and it was the RU486. If Bombshell had _eaten_ that pizza, she _would_ have lost the baby," Tank added. "So she came up with the idea to let Jeanne Ellen think it worked. She agreed to go to the safe house. We contacted the ER doctor and Bombshell's doctor to help with the documentation. Morelli contacted Juniak to fill him in. The only people that knew she was still pregnant other than those in this room were the doctors and Juniak. She _wanted_ to tell you, Ranger, but it had to be this way. That's what she was having the hardest time with." Stephanie nodded.

"I _hated_ doing that to you, Carlos. It seemed so _mean_! I'm so sorry we lied to you!" she cried while looking down at the hands she was wringing.

"Stephanie…..look at me," Ranger told her. She glanced up and met his stare. "I am _so_ proud of you, Babe. I told you to do _whatever _it takes….and you did. You _did _what _had_ to be done to protect our baby. That's what a mother does for her child." He pulled her to him again and kissed her.

"You're not mad at me?" She stared at him, eyes wide, waiting for him to answer. He slowly shook his head.

"No, I'm not mad. I'm…._relieved_ if you want to know the truth," Ranger replied. He turned to Tank. "That's why you wouldn't let me talk to her." Tank nodded.

"Bombshell didn't want to go along with it unless we told you. We finally convinced her it could only work if everyone, including you, really thought she lost the baby. I had to have Lester and Hal stay with her to make sure she had no contact with you or anyone else. It _was_ harder to do than I thought it would be. First, when I told everyone at the office and then, when I had to call you….." Tank trailed off and swallowed hard. "It _did_ start to feel like a fucked up thing to do to you." Ranger nodded.

"I'm not going to lie and say I didn't feel like I'd been punched in the stomach," Ranger agreed. "All of you did what you had to. I respect that. Your safety is far too important to me, Babe, to worry about hurting my feelings. Always remember that." He squeezed her hand. She smiled back. "What do you say we get outta here? It's been a long day, and I'm exhausted." She put a hand to the side of his face and gave him a gentle kiss on his lips.

"Let's go home," she whispered. Ranger loved when Stephanie called his apartment home. Tank, Hal, and Lester left the room while Stephanie began to gather her things. Tank filled them in about Jeanne Ellen out in the living room.

Ranger leaned back against the headboard and just watched her. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught site of the ultrasound picture. It didn't really look like anything, but he knew it was their baby. He couldn't help but smile. He stuck the picture in his jacket pocket.

After zipping up her suitcase, she blew out a long sigh. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know what happened with Jeanne Ellen. Did he have to do anything sexual? Did he kiss her? She was afraid to ask.

"Nothing happened with Jeanne Ellen," Ranger told her. Damn ESP! "What I can tell you is that she had problems with other agents she worked with in the past. She admitted she tried to hurt you. It turned bad when they were handcuffing her. She was shot and killed. We'll never have to worry about her again, Babe." Stephanie let out a small gasp that she covered with a hand to her mouth. She sat down on the edge of the bed next to him.

"Are you okay?" He nodded pulling her into his good side.

"Let's get out of here. I just want to get in bed and hold you all night," he whispered to her.

"Sounds good to me, but I want to tell Ella and the rest of the guys the truth as soon as we get back," she insisted. "God Carlos, this was so hard. I didn't want to hurt anyone."

"They will understand," he assured her. "Hell, they'll be as happy and relieved as I am." He hugged her as tight as he was able before sliding his hand down to her belly. She hissed and her body jerked a little. He raised his eyebrows.

"Seatbelt bruise," she explained. "It's still a little tender." She took his hand and gently placed it back on her stomach. She looked back into his eyes. "I love you, Carlos." He leaned in and kissed her.

"I love you too, Babe." He pulled back and got off the bed. Holding out his hand, he helped her up. "Let's go home."

**Chapter 1**

It was the middle of the night, and Ranger was walking the halls of the Haywood office. It had been two weeks since what Stephanie now referred to as the Weekend of Hell. There were some hurt feelings about the miscarriage hoax. Thankfully, those feelings didn't last. Stephanie felt horrible and guilty enough as it was. Although he was riding out the rest of his contract on disability, Ranger still had two more weeks till he was officially discharged from the Army. He couldn't understand why he had trouble sleeping. Usually, he slept so soundly with Stephanie by his side. There were so many things running through his mind. In addition to the whole Jeanne Ellen fiasco, there was the helicopter crash, the end of his military career, and impending fatherhood. He was already a biological father. Now, he was going to be a full time father. So many changes in his life. Then, there was his damn shoulder. It had to be totally immobilized for at least another two weeks. He wasn't able to run or work out. He routinely exercised every day. It helped keep him in shape as well as work out any frustrations. Maybe that was why he was having trouble sleeping? He let out a long and exaggerated sigh. He made one more lap around the building before heading back to 7.

Stephanie wasn't in bed when he got back. Grimacing, he went to check the bathroom. She had spent the past couple of early mornings heaving her guts up in the toilet. This morning was no different. He found her and Ivy seated on the floor next to the bowl. "You okay, Babe?" She gave him a weak smiled but nodded. He held out his hand to help her off the floor. She brushed her teeth and splashed some water on her face. "Can I get you anything?"

"No thanks." She gave him a quick kiss. "I think I'm just going to go back to bed." She studied his face for a minute. He looked tired. Ranger had been having trouble sleeping since he got back. He had also been a little edgy. "Carlos…is everything alright? Do you want to talk about it?" He pulled her close.

"I'm fine. Just been through a lot lately, and my body's not used to taking it easy. I'm used to working out every day, Babe. Not being able to do _anything_ is getting to me," he explained. That and I'm a little nervous about becoming a father, he said to himself.

"I totally understand what you're going through…remember?" She gave him that fantastic heart melting smile. "At least _you're_ able to walk." He kissed her. Thank God for that, he thought, otherwise he really would go crazy. Stephanie helped him get settled in the bed and snuggled up next to him. She fell asleep almost instantly. It took him about an hour before he was able to sleep.

Ranger was still sleeping when Stephanie woke. She stared at the softened features of his face. The hardened expression vanished when he slept. As long as she had known him, for about six months now, he never seemed so restless. She had a nagging suspicion that he was feeling trapped. He told her he was happy about the baby. Then again, Ranger was a very active and busy man. He was used to working all the time. She prayed that was all it was. Nature was calling before but now it seemed to be screaming. He could always sense when she got up so she didn't want to wake him. Slowly, she pulled back, keeping her eyes on his with every inch she slid away. Good, she thought, he's still out. After gently lifting herself off the edge of the bed, she quickly tip-toed to the bathroom. Sneaking back towards the bed and peaking at his face, she found him still sleeping. She motioned for Ivy to follow her. She pulled on some sweatpants, shoved her feet into sneakers, and wrapped herself in Ranger's coat. After grabbing Ivy's leash, she crept out of the apartment.

It was almost Spring. March was unpredictable with weather in New Jersey. The mornings were still very chilly. Luckily, she was able to get out of the building without being stopped by one of the Merry Men offering to take Ivy out for her. Not that she wasn't grateful for their help, she just really wanted to get out by herself for a while. Ivy missed getting out every morning. Bobby and Lester had taken her jogging with them a few times. She decided to walk her to the dog park so she could run. She smiled at the memory of Ranger feeding her steaks for dinner the first few days after he had gotten home. Ivy saved their baby. If Ivy hadn't smelled the RU486 on the pizza, she would have eaten it. That thought still haunted her. The what-ifs ran through her mind and, she shuddered. Morelli had suggested that she get Ivy formal training as a drug dog. The breeder that he purchased her from had sold several puppies to law enforcement. It was in her blood. Ranger, of course, liked the idea and was looking into it. The park was empty when she got there. She wished she had brought Ivy's Frisbee with her but didn't even think about it. Unhooking her leash, Ivy took off to run.

Hearing someone yelling, Ranger startled himself awake. He was covered in a fine sheet of sweat and heart pounded in his chest. He realized he was the one who yelled. Turning his head to the side, he blew out a deep breath when he saw that Stephanie wasn't there. "Babe?" There was no answer. Ivy was gone too so she must have taken her out. Thank God she wasn't there. She was worried enough about him. He remembered he was dreaming about the crash again. He refused to admit that he couldn't handle this on his own. Feeling stressed about a bad accident was normal, he told himself. It will pass. It's only been a month. Just focus on being with Stephanie. Stephanie. He sighed again. They were going to have to have a long talk, and she wasn't going to like it. He spoke to Tank about looking for another woman to do distractions. After what happened with Harding, and now that Stephanie was pregnant, Ranger was not going to take any chances. He didn't want her going after FTAs either. He wanted her to work with him on the business side. He smiled at the memory of the shocked look on her face when he told her they got the Morris & Sons' account. Mr. Morris, Sr. was not only impressed with Rangeman and its services, but he was sold because of Stephanie. Tank lined up some interviews for tomorrow, and Ranger wanted Stephanie's input. He rolled his head back and forth. The muscles in his neck were tight, especially on the right side. He would need to wait for Stephanie to come back to help him shower. He didn't do such a great job with one hand. Not to mention he loved the feel of her hands all over his body. He padded barefoot into his closet to pull on a sweatshirt when his eyes caught the locked drawer that held his guns and the engagement ring. He tapped the code into the lock and opened the drawer. He cracked open the black velvet box and gazed at the sparkling stone before him. His heart ached at the thought that Stephanie would turn him down. His plan was to ask her to marry him when he finished with the training. He knew if he did ask her now that she would think it was only because of the baby. He thought about showing her the date on the receipt so she would know that this is what he really wanted. But then he knew she would freak when she saw the price. He felt like he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. Stealing one last look, he closed the box and locked it back in the drawer. Let the dust settle and ask her in a couple of weeks, he told himself. He wandered into the kitchen to get a bottled water to drink when he heard the locks tumble on the front door. "Morning, Babe." He noticed right away that she was wearing his jacket. He loved when she wore his clothes. She flashed him her heart warming smile before kissing him hello.

"I'm surprised you're up. You didn't get much sleep again." Her smile faded into a look of concern. He took her hand and led her to the couch.

"I need to talk to you about something that I want your help with," he began as they sat down. She shrugged off his jacket, kicked off her sneakers, and drew her legs up Indian-style on the seat next to him.

"I'll help you with anything Carlos. You know that." He nodded and drew a deep breath before continuing.

"I don't want you doing any distractions or chasing FTAs while you are pregnant." She opened her mouth to protest but he waved her off. "Just hear me out first…._please_?" He pulled out the big guns with the 'P' word because he knew she would give in. Her shoulders slumped, bottom lip protruded, but nodded for him to continue. "I want you to work with me to keep learning the business. We got the Morris account _because_ of you, Babe. People _like_ you. You will be a strong asset to my business in dealing with our clients. Now is the best time to do that because I'm going to be limited in the field myself. I'll be able to spend a lot of time with you going over things." Okay, she's not pouting anymore so she's actually listening to me, Ranger said to himself.

"But I'd be _really_ careful!" she whined.

"I know _you_ would. But what if a skip pulled a knife on you and stabbed you in the stomach? We have to think about the baby's safety too." She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not an _idiot_ you know! I think about the baby every day. _All_ the time. My boobs are sore. I'm puking my guts up half the time. I cried at a _damn_ Kay Jeweler's commercial! I don't think anyone has to _remind_ me about being pregnant, Carlos!" Before he could grab her, she hopped off the couch. "With my luck, I don't even have to be doing _anything_ dangerous. Shit just seems to find me. So please _don't_ lecture me about the baby's safety!" She marched into the bedroom and slammed the door. Ranger ran a hand over his face.

"Fuck," he muttered. He got up and followed her into the bedroom. He found her in the oversized chair in the corner hugging her knees and head down. "I didn't mean it like that, Babe. I know you'd do anything to protect the baby. Believe me…_I_ know." She raised her head and rested her chin on her knees. He slid into the chair with her and pulled her to him.

"I'm sorry," she told him with a sigh. "I'm a lot more sensitive these days. That still doesn't mean it's okay for you to make decisions _for_ me. But…I don't have a say because this is a work related decision. You're the boss, Carlos. It's your business and your decision." She felt him stiffen. He didn't respond but she resisted looking at him. It was several minutes before he replied.

"That's not fair, Babe." He was a little annoyed. Partly because what she said was true. He was the boss, but it wasn't a business decision. It would be in Rangeman's best interest to have her doing distractions. "This wasn't a business decision and you know it."

"Thanks for being honest. It's another personal decision _you_ made for me without including _me _in the decision." She still wouldn't look at him. He was sure she could feel his gaze burning into the side of her head. "Never mind. This is a pointless conversation. You've already made up your mind so there is no sense in talking about it." She started to get up but he was quicker this time. He pulled her to him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her. He felt her relax and sink into him.

"You're sorry that you made a decision for me or sorry that's how it's going to be?" He sighed.

"In this instance….both." He kissed the top of her head. "I _should_ have talked to you about it, but I'm not going to change my mind. You're far too important to me. And so is the baby. I promise to try to include you in the decision process in the future. I've told you before. I'm used to giving orders and having them followed with no questions asked. I'm not going to change overnight so I'm asking you to cut me some slack. Babe…I love you so much…it hurts. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Carlos, I know you have my best interest in mind when you make these decisions. I _really_ do. But it makes me feel like I'm one of your possessions and not your partner." Ranger winced. He didn't want her to feel like a possession.

"You _are_ my partner. And my lover. And my friend. Next to Tank, and only because I've known him much longer, you're my best friend, Babe. You have no idea how important you are to me. I feel so lucky to have you in my life. Don't doubt that for a second." She finally turned to look into his eyes. His expression had softened and showed a rare moment of raw emotion. "I love you." She laid a hand on the side of his face then lightly kissed him.

"I love you, too." She leaned back into him again. "Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?" He grinned. She did know him pretty well.

"Most of it. I wanted to ask you to help interview some women for distractions. I really want your opinion. I don't want the guys to be thinking with their dicks during the interview. I need you there to let me know what you think of them. Tank's got two coming in tomorrow. Will you help me?" She chuckled.

"Who's going to be there?"

"Me, you, Tank, Bobby, Lester, Cal, Hal, Woody, and Ram. The usual distraction team." She looked up and grinned.

"Yeah, I'll help. Just don't get mad at me if I give you my honest opinion and it doesn't match everyone else's," she insisted. He smiled back.

"Promise." He kissed her temple. "I need another favor now….would you help me take a shower?"

"Is that all you want me to help you with?" she purred as she felt his arousal pressing into her hip. His lips crashed down on hers and his tongue stroked hers. After a few minutes, she broke the kiss and stood up offering him her hand. She led him to the bathroom where she turned on the shower and got him undressed. Sucking in her breath, she stared at his amazing body. Even after six months, she still couldn't get used to how perfect he was. The curves of his muscles, sculpted abs, and incredible manhood which stood proudly at attention. She licked her lips.

"See something you like, Babe?" His voice broke her out of her thoughts and she blushed. He watched her as she undressed. He thought she, too, had a beautiful body. He pulled her into the shower and under the comforting feel of the warm, cascading stream of water. It wasn't like they hadn't made love since he got home. He hadn't been able to make love to her the way he _wanted_ to. Another frustration. He used his good arm to lift her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He leaned her against the tiled walls as he thrust himself into her over and over again. It wasn't long before he watched as her eyes glazed over and she screamed his name as he pushed her over the edge. He could feel her tighten around him bringing him to a shuddering finish. This was what he needed. Being inside her helped him to forget everything else. Nothing mattered while he made love to Stephanie. He gave himself a few minutes to catch his breath before he let her down.

She felt his body relax. His head rested on top of hers. "I love you," she whispered to him as she ran her hands from his chest down to his hips.

"Love you too," he breathed.

After finishing their shower, Ranger and Stephanie dressed and got ready for work. Ranger was only working a few hours a day. Mostly, he was working on contracts and reviewing reports. Stephanie was helping Val with searches in addition to making site visits with Tank. Ranger set up a team meeting to discuss some of the upcoming distractions.

"Okay," Ranger began, "I wanted to tell you Stephanie will not be doing any distractions until further notice." The men tried to sneak glances at her to see her reaction. This didn't come as a huge surprise. They knew Ranger would be gun shy after what happened with Harding, but now that she was pregnant it was almost a given. "We have two women coming in tomorrow that I want the team to interview. Steph is going to help us and give us her opinion." Lester draped his arm around her shoulders.

"None of them will be as good as you, Beautiful," he told her. She gave him a smile.

"Which leads me to the distraction we have set up for Thursday," Ranger continued. "Santos?"

"I'm ready…willing…and able," he joked. Stephanie rolled her eyes. There were snickers around the table. Ranger nodded.

"I'm glad to hear you say that. You're going to distract the skip." Lester laughed.

"Yeah right! What…am I gonna wear a blonde wig and one of Steph's dresses?" Ranger's gaze remained unchanged. The smile waned from Lester's face, and his laughter faded.

"The skip goes for transsexuals, Santos, so you hit the nail on the head." The room exploded with laughter….except for Lester.

"Get the fuck outta here! Are you _serious_?" Lester was incredulous. Stephanie patted his arm.

"It's okay, Les. I'll pick out one of my real hot dresses for you," she joked. Lester stared at Ranger.

"You _are_ serious! Jesus Christ! Why me? Why don't you ask Hector? _He's_ gay. He won't mind dressing like a woman," Lester insisted. More laughter.

"Not all gay men like to dress like women, Les. A tranny is different. Besides…you have the nicest legs," Stephanie explained. Lester slumped back in his chair.

"Santos, you'll get a higher cut of the bond as hazard pay," Ranger offered. Lester thought for a moment. As embarrassing and humiliating as this would be, it would be a big paycheck. Not that he was hurting for money, he tried to put away as much as possible. Living at Rangeman was pretty inexpensive. He wanted to buy a house one day. But was he willing to put up with the harassment? It would be merciless. What the hell, he told himself. His dick was big enough to handle the ribbing. And he would be the one laughing all the way to the bank.

"Alright…I'll do it," he conceded. Stephanie gave him a hug. The guys cheered him on. Ranger just shook his head. There was no way in hell I'd ever do it, Ranger said to himself. He had to give Lester some credit. Ranger slid the file over to him.

"Steph and Ella will help you get ready. We only had two days, Babe, so you have to take him shopping today." Stephanie bounced up and down in her seat in excitement.

"What bar is this?" Bobby asked.

"The Other Half," Tank replied with a straight face. This produced more snickers.

"Uh…you don't need anybody inside…right?" Hal asked hesitantly. He was worried that he would be at the door. Ranger nodded.

"You'll be at the door and Cal will be behind the bar," Ranger told them. Hal went pale and Cal groaned. Stephanie giggled.

"You guys are the biggest bunch of babies I've ever met!" she snorted. "Afraid of a little _gay_ bar!" Tank and Ranger smiled.

"Wait a minute, Bomber!" Ram interjected. "We aren't _afraid_ of a gay bar. It's just not right for a man to touch another man's equipment. It's not…._natural_." There were nods and a few 'yeahs' in agreement.

"Well how come you guys smack each other's asses when you play football and basketball? _That's_ kinda gay," Stephanie added. Ranger resisted a smile.

"That's totally different, Steph!" Woody insisted. "It's a part of sports. It's _not_ the same thing!"

"Looks _gay_ to me," she muttered. She leaned over and kissed Ranger. She stood up and grabbed Lester's hand. "Come on, Les. I get to dress you up like a Barbie doll today." He obediently got up and followed after her.

"I want big boobs," he insisted. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"You are so not right, Lester Santos." Ranger smirked as he watched them leave. Tank turned to him.

"I guess she took that better than we thought," he muttered to Ranger.

"Not at first. She was pissed off that I made another decision without talking to her about it. She was right. I should have. But I wouldn't have changed my mind." Tank nodded in agreement.

"I can't believe Lester agreed to this." Ranger smiled.

"Just make sure we get it all on video." The room erupted in laughter again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Stephanie and Lester went to the Bond's Office to meet Lula. Lula had called some of her drag queen friends to find out where they shopped. It was not like they would be able to find women's clothes in Lester's size at Macys. "I can't believe you agreed to do this, Les," Steph said. He gave her a sideways glance and just smirked.

"You know I'm saving for a house. This will just add to the pot, Beautiful," he told her. "I'm a little surprised how well _you_ took that Ranger won't let you do any distractions. I thought you would go postal when he told you." She sighed.

"I didn't _exactly_ take the news all that well," she admitted. "It pissed me off that, once again, he made a decision for me. I know he means well, but it should be my decision." She turned to face him. "Les…is everything okay with Carlos? He's…he just doesn't seem…himself." Lester had noticed Ranger was a little off. He had heard that Ranger walked around the building almost every night. He just thought it had something to do with everything that went down over the last month.

"We've all noticed it, Beautiful. A lot went down with the crash, you, that whole thing with Jeanne Ellen. Ranger's not used to taking it easy. I think he's getting a little stir crazy," he explained. She took in this information.

"You don't think he's having second thoughts about the baby…do you?" She bit her bottom lip. She was afraid he was feeling trapped. She understood all the other things and truly hoped that's what was bothering him. Lester parked in front of the Bond's Office and shut off the engine.

"No…I don't think that's it at all," he replied. "I don't think he's any more worried about being a father than you are about becoming a mother. That's normal to worry about that stuff. But, I don't think he regrets it. If he didn't want the baby, he would have told you that. Ranger's pretty direct. He wanted Rachel to get an abortion, but she refused. Did he tell you that he wanted the baby?" She nodded. "Then he really wants the baby." He tugged on one of her curls. "Come on. Let's find out where we need to go so I can start the humiliation process." Stephanie giggled as she got out of the SUV.

Because Lester didn't want to try anything on in the store, they purchased a few outfits, shoes, and undergarments and brought them back to his apartment at Rangeman. "I know I could have tried them on there, Beautiful, but that…_whatever_ it was...followed me into the dressing room. He tried to handle…_the merchandise_. There was _no_ _way_ I was taking my pants off there." She couldn't help but laugh. Lester tried to be so professional, but the drag queen was all over him. Lester was very good looking so she couldn't blame the guy. They laid all the packages on his bed. Ella was at the door. Stephanie had called her when they pulled into the garage.

"What do you think of this one, Ella?" Steph asked as she held up an olive green dress. "I think it brings out his eyes." Lester groaned.

"I can't believe I agreed to this," he muttered. Stephanie took out a huge bra and a pair of falsies.

"Take your shirt off, Les. We need to start with the bra first." Lester did as he was told. Stephanie held the bra out for him, and he slipped it on. Ella fastened it in the back. Ella was trying very hard not to laugh. Stephanie placed the falsies in each cup and adjusted them to make sure he looked even. "Here are your big boobs." He slid his hands over the two huge mounds on his chest and gave them a squeeze.

"I never thought I would enjoy feeling myself up this much," he smirked. Stephanie rolled her eyes while Ella chuckled.

"Put this dress on, and we'll wait in the other room," Steph told him. She and Ella left him alone to finish getting into his outfit.

"I can't believe he is doing this!" Ella exclaimed with glee. A few minutes later, Lester emerged from the bedroom in the green dress, matching heels, and the red wig. Laughing, Ella braced herself on the breakfast bar, and Stephanie flopped down on to the chair. Lester made some sorry attempts at vogue-style poses. This made them laugh harder.

"I can do this," he told them. "I'm just like…what's his name…Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie."

"You look more like Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire," Ella corrected, gasping for breath from laughter. Lester sat down on the couch with his legs wide apart and knees practically up to his chin because of the heels. Having ignored the underpants they bought, he was exposed in all his glory.

"Uh…no Les," Stephanie began as she rose from her seat pointing to his crotch. "You're more like Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct." Ella gasped and covered her face with her hands. Lester turned crimson and closed his legs.

"Oh! Jesus! Ella, I'm sorry," he apologized. He jumped up and hurriedly wobbled into the bedroom stumbling a few times in the heels. Ella just shook her head.

"I'd better go," she said to Stephanie. "Make sure you teach him to wear the panties next time." Stephanie laughed.

"I'll talk to you later, Ella. Thanks." Lester came out of the bedroom in sweat pants and his bra. His face was still crimson.

"Is Ella gone?" She nodded. "I can't get this open." He turned so she could unhook the bra. "Shit! I can't believe I just _flashed_ Ella. That was fucking embarrassing."

"Uh…Les? Hello! You flashed me, too," she reminded him. He pulled out two bottles of water from the refrigerator and handed one to her.

"Yeah…but you're my _friend_, Beautiful. Ella…is like my _mom_!" He sat back on the couch. Stephanie yawned and sat down on the other end. "I'm not _used_ to wearing a dress. I don't know all the rules." He took a drink from his bottled water. He thought for a minute and turned to her. "I'm sorry. I really didn't do that on purpose. I just meant that _I'm_ not embarrassed if you see me, but I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. " She gave him a smile.

"I know what you meant, and you didn't. It was kind of funny." She started to giggle but was taken over by another yawn. "You'll have to practice walking in those shoes, Les." He smirked.

"I'll practice that in my apartment. That's all I would need having that on tape, too." He stood up. "I'm going to finish getting dressed. I'll be right out." She nodded.

Ten minutes later, Lester came back into the living room to find Stephanie sound asleep on his couch. "Beautiful?" There was no answer. He grabbed a blanket from the closet and covered her before heading up to the Control Room.

Ram and Woody were covering the monitors when Lester walked into the Control Room. "Let's see your best runway walk, _Les-lee_!" Ram called out. Lester smiled and gave him the finger.

"Did you shave your legs yet, Santos?" Woody joined in.

"Yeah…I borrowed the razor your mother uses to shave her back," Lester responded. He walked over to Ranger's office. The door was open but he knocked to get Ranger's attention. Ranger's head popped up. "Uh…Steph fell asleep on my couch. I didn't want to wake her up." Ranger nodded.

"You get everything you need?"

"Hell yeah! I'm going to look so fuckin' hot." They heard Val gasped. "Sorry Val. I'm going to look hot." Ranger just shook his head. Stephanie was correct about one thing….Santos just wasn't right. "Did you want me to wake her up?"

"No. Let her sleep. If she's not up by the time I'm done here, I'll go get her," Ranger told him. Lester gave him a half salute and went to go read the file on his skip. Ranger sighed and went back to his report. He was getting tired himself from the lack of sleep. Taking a nap with Stephanie sounded a hell of a lot better than finishing that report. He had just decided that what he was going to do when his office phone rang. "This better be good, Tank."

"It is. I have an Anders Rasmussen on the phone. He is good friends with Mr. Morris. He is interested in hiring Rangeman for a personal matter." This piqued Ranger's interest.

"Put the call through and come in here," he told Tank. Tank came into the office and had Valerie transfer the call. "Mr. Rasmussen? This is Carlos Manoso. I'm with my associate Tank. I understand you need some help in a personal matter."

"Mr. Manoso…I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me. I know Phil Morris just signed on with your firm. Rangeman comes highly recommended, and you have an excellent reputation," Mr. Rasmussen began. Ranger and Tank exchanged glances.

"What can we do for you?" Ranger asked him.

"I know this is not a detective agency, but I need help finding my daughter." Ranger frowned.

"You're correct. We are a security firm…not a detective agency. But since you are a good friend of Mr. Morris, I am still listening," Ranger explained.

"I understand and appreciate that. My daughter has been missing for 2 weeks. She has been a discipline problem for a long time. I want her found, but I want her found….discreetly. I'm not sure if she got involved with the wrong crowd, or it's drugs. And, I really don't care. Do you think you can help me?" Ranger looked at Tank. Tank shrugged his shoulders.

"How old is your daughter?" Tank asked.

"16. I haven't notified the police because there is nothing those idiots can do anyway. Like I said, I want this kept quiet."

"We have appointments in the morning but tomorrow afternoon is free. Can you come in to meet with my team about 2 o'clock?" Ranger offered.

"I can make that time."

"Bring in photos, names of friends, or anything that might help us find her. We'll discuss it and give you a decision tomorrow," Ranger instructed.

"I'll see you at 2. Thank you for your time, Mr. Manoso." He disconnected. Tank gave him a look of disgust.

"Why the hell are you even considering this?"

"It's business, Tank. We came recommended from a new and important client. I'm not saying we will take the job, but it would be best to find out what the deal is before we turn it down. Besides, this may be something that I can let Stephanie handle. She has great contacts all over Trenton. She may be able to help him find his daughter." Tank smirked.

"Oh…I get it. Get her mind off replacing her with another woman for distraction jobs. Good thinking!"

"I didn't think of it _that_ way, but that would work, too." They both laughed. "No, I just thought this would be something important, but safe, for her to work on. I fucked up by not talking to her about my decision. This is my way of making it up to her."

"Whipped," Tank muttered under his breath as he got up.

"I _heard_ that." Ranger decided to take the report up stairs and work on it later. He wanted to lay down with Stephanie for a while. He headed to Lester's apartment. Using his master key, he let himself in. She was still asleep. Cursing silently to himself that he wasn't able to carry her, he gently woke her up. "Let's go upstairs, Babe. I can use a nap myself." Still a little groggy, she nodded and sat up. He kissed the top of her head then helped her up. Arm in arm, they headed up to 7.

It took a few minutes for Ranger to realize where he was. He finally had gotten some decent sleep. The room was dark, and Stephanie was not in the bed with him. He didn't even sense her get up. Faintly, he heard the TV in the next room. It was 6 PM. He had slept for four hours. That was the most sleep he had gotten at one time in the past two weeks. He actually felt rested. There had been so much on his mind. He had been dreading the conversation with Stephanie about grounding her to office work. He knew he was wrong for not talking about it with her first, but he was so glad it was done. Maybe that was part of the reason why he was having trouble sleeping? Something else had occurred to him earlier that day. It was eating his brain about Jeanne Ellen. She told him that she was pregnant with his child and lost it because she was beaten and raped. Was it true? If she was pregnant…was it his? Even after everything she did, he still didn't think she deserved that. He berated himself for all the risks he had taken by having unprotected sex. He hated condoms and rarely wore them. What also had occurred to him was the possibility that he had other children out there that he didn't know about. There was Julie. Stephanie knew about her, and thank God, she accepted her. He didn't think she would be so understanding if some other woman showed up on the doorstep one day with another child of his. All he wanted in his life was Stephanie and their baby. He was thinking how fortunate he was to have strong role models in his father and older brother, Raoul. They were good men, and Ranger loved and respected them immensely. He didn't know the first thing about a baby…feeding one, taking care of one, or changing one….well he could pay someone to change it, but he would learn the rest. He looked around the bedroom. The apartment was big, but there was only one bedroom. They could convert the office to a nursery but that would only be temporary. There was a small storage area on the other side of the living room. They could knock out that wall and convert it to a bedroom. Not that he wasn't interested in buying a house, it would just be harder to secure. _Christ!_ So much to think about, he said to himself, no wonder I can't sleep.

Stephanie was curled up on the couch with Ivy. She was nibbling on some cookies that Ella made and washing them down with a glass of milk…well a glass of chocolate milk. He leaned over the couch to kiss the top of her head. She rewarded him with that heart melting smile. "It's about time you got some decent sleep. I was really getting worried about you." He walked around and sat next to her.

"I feel rested. Maybe I should try taking more naps until I'm back to my normal routine," he agreed.

"Are you ready for dinner? Ella was here a little while ago, but I told her that I didn't want to wake you." He shook his head.

"Maybe in a little while." He nodded towards the plate of cookies. "I see she brought _you_ something." She gave him a guilty smile.

"The _baby_ wanted cookies and milk. Who am _I_ to argue?" This got her his 200 watt grin.

"So how did you make out with Lester's outfit today?" She giggled.

"He's _such_ a goof ball!" She continued to laugh. "Lester is going to make a _great_ tranny!" Ranger had to chuckle. No one would ever get him in a dress! He was confident enough with his masculinity, but he had his limits.

"I've got something else I need to talk to you about, Babe," he began. He wanted to tell her about the meeting with Anders Rasmussen tomorrow afternoon. "We got a call from a friend of Phillip Morris, Jr.'s this afternoon. He's meeting with us tomorrow. He wants to hire Rangeman to help find his 16 year old daughter. She's been missing for 2 weeks. Out of respect for the Morris account, I agreed to meet with him. I was thinking this might be a good job for you to head up." Her eyes widened.

"Me?" She was a little surprised. She didn't think he would let her do anything after their conversation this morning.

"Yeah. You know the area. You have a lot of contacts and great instincts. You would better know what's in the mind of a 16 year old girl than we would. What do you think?" She smiled.

"Thank you." He raised an eyebrow. "You're talking to me about something and including me in the decision. _Thank_ you for listening to me. It really means a lot, Carlos." He rested his forehead against hers.

"I told you that I'm trying. It's not something we typically handle but Morris & Sons is a major account. We'll hear what he has to say. If you think it's something we can handle, we'll take the case." She smiled and kissed him. "One more thing. I want to talk about getting you a new car." She rolled her eyes.

"No. I'll get my _own_ car. I'll use the Escape for business, but _I_ will take care of getting my own car. It's going to be used and old. No more nice cars for me!" she told him. He sighed. He didn't want to argue about it.

"Alright," he conceded. "But I want you to know that the offer is there, Babe. I know you want to be independent and pay your own way. I respect that. But, I don't want you to be afraid or ashamed to ask for my help. I love you. What's mine is yours. Remember that."

"I really appreciate that. I promise to keep that in mind." She reached for another cookie. "Oh…don't forget we're going to your parents' for dinner on Saturday."

"You'll have to drive, Babe. But if you're not up to it, we won't go. Mama will understand," Ranger insisted. Or not. Mama had been calling Stephanie every few days. She was so excited about the baby. Luckily, his parents didn't hear about Stephanie's car accident or the miscarriage hoax. Raoul called him about it because the Miami office heard about it from some of the men at the Trenton Office. Raoul wanted to confirm what he had heard before the information had gotten any farther.

"I'll be fine." She stood up and stretched. "I'm going to take Ivy for a walk. Why don't you come with us?"

"Sounds like a good idea." She scurried to the bathroom while Ranger grabbed Ivy's leash and their coats. "Ready?"

"Am now." He smiled. He noticed she made more frequent trips to the bathroom now.

Holding the leash in her left hand and Ranger's in her right, Stephanie walked in silence with him down the street. It was starting to stay lighter a bit longer these days. She loved how they didn't always have to talk. Strange for her. She had never felt so comfortable with someone so she could enjoy a silence together. During certain times, Ranger needed silence. She usually needed some sound…any sound…to keep her focused. Ranger was so different from her. They were opposite in so many ways. But somehow, they just seemed to fit. She loved him so much it scared her. Ranger told her he loved her so much it hurt. She wanted nothing more that to give herself to him fully. There was no turning back now.

Ranger glanced over at Stephanie. There appeared to be a million thoughts racing around in her head. He could see it in her eyes. Those beautiful, aquamarine eyes that could melt his heart were the windows to her soul. Her eyes betrayed all the feelings she tried to hide. He could always tell when she was upset or…God help him…angry. They radiated pain when she was hurt. Or his favorite….how her eyes would almost glow while he drove himself into her and brought her to ecstasy. Grinning, he told her, "Smell something burning, Babe." A slow smile spread across her face.

"Damn ESP," she replied. In another rare moment, Ranger laughed out loud. There weren't many moments over the last several years that made him laugh at all. He noticed he laughed more over the last six months than he had in the last ten years. He had overheard his mother telling Stephanie that she brought out the old Carlos. He didn't realize how much he had closed himself off to everyone…especially his _own_ family.

"We went through a lot of training for special operations. Part of that training was to learn how to read people. How they react. Their body language. Facial expressions. But most of all…their eyes. You are such an easy read, Babe. You show more emotion in your eyes than anyone I've ever met. That's one of the many things that I love about you," he explained. She giggled.

"So I guess I have to learn to shut my eyes or not look you in the face if I don't want you to know what I'm thinking," she teased. Ranger smirked.

"I'll probably regret that I told you that." She laughed out loud.

"Maybe." Stopping dead in her tracks, she turned to face him and looked him right in the eyes. "I love you." He snaked his left arm around her and pulled her close to him.

"I love you, too," he whispered back before kissing her senseless.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

For the first time in almost a month, Ranger slept straight through the night. He woke up at 5 AM. This was the usual time he used to get up. Stephanie was still sound asleep. He slipped out of bed after deciding to at least go and walk on the treadmill. They still had plenty of time before the interviews this morning. The first one was scheduled for 9:30. He changed into a sleeveless shirt and sweatpants. He stole one last glance at his sleeping beauty. He grabbed a towel and a bottle of water before heading down to the gym.

The gym was empty, but people would start trickling in by 6 AM. Ranger turned the TV on to CNN before getting on the treadmill. Before he finished, Ram and Woody sauntered in. Ranger gave them a nod. He could tell they were a little surprised to see him. Ranger decided to work out his lower body on the weight machines before heading back upstairs. It was only 6:30. Still plenty of time to wake Stephanie up for some morning love. He was disappointed to see the bed was empty. That could only mean one thing…she was throwing up in the bathroom. The door was cracked, and the soft night light dimly lit the bedroom. "Babe?" He pushed the door open to see her lying on the floor. Ivy's tail began to beat against the tiled floor. "Jesus!" He dropped to his knees and placed his hand on the side of her face. "Babe?" She began to stir.

"HHHmmm?" she mumbled. She slowly realized that she was still in the bathroom and bolted upright.

"Are you okay? What happened?" She could see the concern written all over his face. She gave him a sheepish smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I wasn't feeling so good and wasn't sure if I was finished…" She trailed off and tilted her head towards the toilet. "So, I just waited a bit. I guess I fell asleep." Ranger exhaled sharply and sat down beside her.

"Jesus, Babe. You scared the shit out of me. I thought you passed out or something," he told her while putting his good arm around her. Forget about the morning sex, he added to himself.

"Sorry." She looked down at his clothes. "Where did you go? Down to the gym?" he nodded. "You're _supposed_ to be taking it easy, Carlos."

"I did take it easy. I used the treadmill and worked out my legs. I can't just sit around anymore, Babe." She rolled her eyes. He stood up and offered his hand. She wobbled a little bit. "Are you sure you're alright?" She nodded and smiled.

"Yeah. It will pass." She looked at his watch. "I'm going to make myself a cup of tea then lay down for a while." He steered her back to the bed.

"You're half right. You're going back to bed. I'll make your tea." She slid to the middle of the bed. Ranger pulled the covers up over her legs then leaned over and kissed her.

"You're so good to me, Carlos," she mumbled through a yawn. After several minutes, he came back with her tea and some crackers. He set the tray on the bed next to her and gently climbed in after. "Thanks." She took a sip of the tea. "Have trouble sleeping again?" He grabbed a cracker for himself and shook his head.

"No. I slept straight through. I got up at 5 and went to the gym." She was relieved. Bobby told her that he would settle back down. "You ready for the interviews today?" She nodded as she sipped her tea.

"Ready as I'll ever be. I've never had to interview anyone before. I don't even know what to ask," she sighed.

"Just read over their resumes. See if anything jumps out at you. Ask questions about that. Think about some situations that come up when you do a distraction. Ask how she would handle it. You've got good instincts. Sometimes, it's not about what they say, but how they say it or what they're not saying." She took a cracker.

"I think I can do that," she agreed. He kissed her temple.

"I _know_ you can do that, Babe."

Stephanie dressed in her regular Rangeman uniform but added a little more mascara and lip gloss for bravery. She read over the resumes like Ranger suggested. The first woman was twenty-six. Camilla Tollson. College graduate with a BA in marketing. Currently working on a law degree. The other woman was Kaleigh Carlton. She was even younger…_damn it_! Kaleigh was twenty-two. High school grad. Currently working at Hooters. They looked like complete opposites on paper. Where the hell did Tank find these girls, Stephanie wondered, Craig's List? They must have sent pictures, but none were attached to their resumes. From reading their back grounds, Stephanie was leaning towards Camilla. She must at least have a brain. But then again, Kaleigh was used to working with slime balls. Not many people went to Hooters for the food alone.

Ranger wanted the interview process to be less formal and more relaxed. He had Ella set up coffee, tea, bagels, fruit, and breakfast pastries. Most of the team was already seated or helping themselves to snacks, when Ranger and Stephanie arrived. The front desk called to inform them that Kaleigh had arrived. Stephanie grabbed a cup of tea quickly before taking her seat between Ranger and Lester. "Morning Beautiful," he told her with a mouthful of doughnut.

"Good morning, Les," she replied. Hal and Ram nodded to her before all the heads turned to watch Kaleigh enter the room. She was about five foot three…in heels. She had long, strawberry blonde hair that was teased so high, she was close to six foot tall. Well, this is New Jersey, Steph said to herself, big hair is almost a must. She wore a close-fitting suit that was a tad too short for the business world. She was kind of cute and perky. Ranger walked over and introduced himself.

"Miss Carlton, I'm Carlos Manoso. Thank you for coming." He shook her hand and led her to the seat across from Stephanie. Ranger introduced everyone. "First, why don't we explain the job a little better to you?" She nodded and sat down. "We are looking for someone to fill in for Stephanie for a while. Part of Rangeman's business is bond enforcement. If someone missed his court date, we pick him up and bring him in."

"Like Dog the Bounty Hunter, right? I _love_ that show!" Kaleigh gushed enthusiastically. The corners of Ranger's mouth twitched. There were some snickers.

"Just like Dog the Bounty Hunter," Stephanie agreed with the slight hint of a condescending tone. She looked at Ranger and smiled. This was going to be fun after all.

"Like I was saying, there are certain times we want to catch someone without a lot of problems. This is where you would come in. You would meet up with him and get him to walk out with you. The team grabs him on the way out," Ranger continued.

"I wouldn't have to show him my breasts…would I?" Kaleigh looked at Ranger expectantly. Stephanie glanced at Lester who was also biting his lip trying not to laugh.

"No, Miss Carlton. That would not be necessary." Ranger managed to keep a straight face.

"Kaleigh, you would just want to flirt with him a little bit. Maybe wear something low cut and short. But, you don't want to get too close. Some of these guys are dangerous. These guys would back you up," Stephanie added as she gestured to the Merry Men around the table.

"Oh…I can do that. I'm used to that at Hooters. My step daddy told me that with a body like this that I didn't need to go to college. I mean…I'm not a rock scientist, but I'm not stupid either." Stephanie refused to look over at Lester. She knew if she did, she would lose it. _Rock_ scientist! Oh my God! Kaleigh wasn't the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but for whatever reason, Stephanie liked her. The girl was genuine. She could tell that Ranger was not impressed. Stephanie felt the need to defend her.

"It's okay, Kaleigh. I'm not a _rock_ scientist either. This is not about a college education. This is about being able to read and react to people." Stephanie thought for a minute. "How much do you make in tips on a typical day?"

"About $200." Ranger raised an eyebrow. Stephanie nodded. A few of the Merry Men had some questions. They ran some scenarios by her to see how she would handle them. Over all, Stephanie thought she did well. She liked Kaleigh. Stephanie offered to walk her out so she could take a bathroom break before the next interview. "Can I ask you a personal question?" Stephanie nodded.

"Why aren't you doing this anymore? I mean…you're totally hot. Is there something wrong with this job?" Stephanie smiled. This girl was definitely not stupid.

"Well, I'm pregnant. Carlos doesn't want me doing any field work while I'm pregnant." Kaleigh's face lit up.

"Wow! Congratulations! He's the baby's father…right? I could tell you two are together by the way he looks at you," Kaleigh exclaimed.

"Yes. Carlos and I are together. Like they said, this job can be risky. I had gotten punched in the face the last time. It was only that one time that I got hurt, but he's really afraid to take any chances with me being pregnant." Kaleigh nodded in agreement.

"It was really nice meeting you, Stephanie," Kaleigh told her and put out her hand. Stephanie took it in hers and shook it.

"Same here, Kaleigh. We'll be in touch." Yeah, Stephanie liked her a lot. By the time she had gotten out of the bathroom, Camilla Tollson was being escorted to the conference room.

Camilla was five foot nine inches. She had long, dark brown hair that was thick and silky. She was fairly attractive with her dark olive skin, warm brown eyes, and lips that looked a little too full. Possibly collagen? She was dressed in a skin tight, white tee shirt, and tan colored jeans that were at least one size too small. Maybe _two_ sizes too small. This was the college-educated woman that comes to an interview in a tee shirt? Stephanie didn't like her from the start. Of course, the men were all drooling over her. She turned to Stephanie to be introduced and held out her hand. All Stephanie could see was the huge camel toe the tight pants created. Introductions were made and everyone sat down. Stephanie grabbed more tea and a couple of doughnuts before taking her seat. Camilla looked at her plate in disgust.

Ranger caught Camilla looking at Stephanie's plate. "Miss Tollson, we have coffee and refreshments if you would like to help yourself." She looked at him and smiled sweetly as she patted his arm.

"No thank you, Carlos. I never eat one doughnut…_let alone three_." She gave Stephanie a little smug smile.

"Oh yeah? Why is that?" Stephanie asked. Ranger tapped her knee with his.

"Read my lips…_fats_ and _carbs_." She addressed Stephanie like she was a two year old. Stephanie snorted and took a large bite out of her Boston Crème.

"Which lips?" Stephanie mumbled under her breath with a mouthful of pastry. She heard Lester snicker next to her.

"Uh…Miss Tollson," Ranger interjected, "we're looking for someone to replace Stephanie for a while. We will go over the job in a little more detail, but why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself first?" She batted her eyes and smiled sweetly at Ranger again. Stephanie glanced over at Lester and rolled her eyes. He gave her a lop-sided smile.

"Of course, Carlos," she purred. Camilla gave them a long winded biography. It was apparent that she had a great love and admiration for herself. When it looked like she was going into more detail, Stephanie snored very loudly. Camilla shot her an evil glare. "It's obvious to me why Carlos needs to replace you. He needs someone a little more professional."

"More professional?" Stephanie exclaimed. Camilla nodded. "Let's talk about being _professional_, Camel Toe…uh…. Camille…uh…whatever your name is!"

"It's Camilla!" she interrupted. The low snickers had turned into silent laughter as the Merry Men's shoulders were shaking as they tried to cover their faces.

"Whatever! _You_ come to an interview dressed like _that_! Not even _bothering_ to find clothes that fit…and you think _I'm_ unprofessional?" Camilla stood up to address Stephanie.

"These clothes fit me fine! You're just jealous of my body!"

"I'm sorry….what did you just say? See…I have no idea because I was totally distracted by the _hoof_ print in your crotch!" Stephanie got up to leave. Nature was calling…again.

"Babe…." Ranger began. Stephanie turned around when she got to the door.

"Oh….if you _really_ want my opinion….between the rock scientist and the camel toe….I vote for the rock scientist." With that, she slipped out of the conference room and hurried to the bathroom. Ranger rose from his seat and turned to face Camilla.

"I think we're done here, Miss Toe….."

"It's Tollson!" she huffed.

"Whatever," Ranger responded. It was obvious he was annoyed. "We work as a team here at Rangeman. I don't tolerate disrespect of other team members. We won't be needing your services. Tank?" Tank snapped to attention. "Could you please escort Miss Toe out?" Tank grinned and stood up. Camilla's jaw dropped, and she placed her hands on her hips. It was obvious to the men that she was not used to being dismissed. Ranger left the conference room to find Stephanie. Junior pointed to the bathroom. "Babe…are you okay?" She exited the stall and walked over to the sink to wash her hands.

"I'm fine. I _really_ had to go," she explained. She quickly washed and dried her hands. "Carlos….I'm sorry. I don't like her, and I certainly didn't like her attitude. I mean I know it sounds so stupid because a big part of the job is dressing up like a slut…" She trailed off as he pulled her close.

"It's okay, Babe," he told her softly.

"And, the _camel_ toe! Oh my God! That was _so_ gross. It's not like a girl isn't aware when her pants are _so_ tight that any movement is going to cause an orgasm!" She could feel his body shaking with laughter.

"I didn't like her either," he agreed. "Tell me…why did you ask Miss Carlton what she made in tips?"

"For her to make $200 a night in tips, she must really work hard. That means she knows how to work with people," Stephanie explained. Ranger grinned. That was something he never would have considered. She continued to amaze him with her instincts.

"You never disappoint, Babe. Let's go wrap with up with the team." She looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I had Tank get rid of Camel Toe." She giggled as he led her back to the conference room.

It appeared that none of the team liked Camilla Tollson. But, they weren't totally sold on Kaleigh Carlton either. "Do we have any other candidates?" Ranger asked Tank.

"They were the only two decent looking ones. The rest were dogs," Tank told him. The guys laughed. Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"That is _so_ wrong on _so_ many levels, Tank, I don't even know where to start," Stephanie scolded him.

"You're a tough act to follow, Bombshell," Tank joked. The guys cheered him on.

"Why don't you give Kaleigh a chance? If she doesn't work out, don't use her again," she suggested. Ranger looked at Tank. "Well, what choice do you have? You can give Kaleigh a try. Or, you have to use me. Or, you let Vinnie forfeit the bond. Or, you think of another way to grab him. Those are your only choices."

"She's right, Boss," Tank agreed. Ranger looked to his team.

"Well…." Lester began, "she may just be a little _too_ intelligent for the job…being a _rock_ scientist and all." Stephanie got up to leave.

"It's up to you guys. If you have any more girls to interview, let me know. I gave you my opinion. It's now your decision."

"Where are you going?" Ranger asked her.

"I've got some things to do before we have that meeting this afternoon," she told him as she walked out.

"Is she mad?" Ram asked. Ranger wasn't sure. He insisted that she be there and wanted her opinion. Was she upset that they weren't taking her advice? She didn't seem upset. Her emotions were all over the place lately. He knew she was very sensitive, and her mood could flip at the drop of a hat.

"I don't think so," Ranger answered. "I'll support whatever decision you guys make. If you want to give Miss Carlton a chance, we will. If you don't think she can handle the job, we'll keep looking. But, if you decide not to, I need to know today. We'll either have to plan something else to get him, or Vinnie will forfeit the bond. We _won't_ be using Stephanie." Ranger got up and headed to his office. He looked over at Junior.

"She went up to 7." Ranger nodded and disappeared into his office closing the door behind him.

Stephanie wanted to make a phone call to a friend of Lula's, Dejuan. Lula told him he was looking to sell an old clunker of his. Lula said it's not pretty to look at but it runs. That was exactly what Stephanie needed. She had been so happy to get her Mustang back. Not only because she loved that car, but getting it back from Dickie gave her some satisfaction and a little sense of revenge. She and Joe had been really lucky. She saw the car at the salvage yard. If that model didn't have the safety roll bar, they would have been seriously injured. The convertible rag top would have afforded no protection whatsoever when the car rolled. She knew Ranger would buy her whatever she wanted, but she couldn't do that. Especially her luck with cars. She reached Dejuan on the second ring. "Hi…this is Stephanie. Lula's friend. She told me that you have a car for sale?"

"Oh yeah. Lula told me you'd be calling," he responded. "Now, I'm not sure this is something you'd be interested in. It's old and ugly. But, it runs. I'm asking $200.00 for it. Does that sound like something you could handle?"

"Can I come by later to see it? Like around 3:30 or 4?" This car sounded perfect. She would ask Lula to take her over there later.

"That would be fine. I haven't had anyone interested yet. Again, I don't want you to expect much." She giggled.

"Believe me….this sounds _exactly_ like what I'm looking for! I'll see you later." She disconnected and looked at her watch. She still had plenty of time before the 2 pm meeting. It was almost noon. She called down to Valerie. "Hey…are you busy for lunch?"

"No."

"Meet me in the garage in a few minutes. We haven't had much time for girl talk these past couple of weeks."

"I'll be right down!" Since the car accident and Ranger's return, they hadn't had much time together at all. Valerie was a little angry at Stephanie for letting everyone think she had a miscarriage. She came to understand that they had no choice. Their mother took it better than anyone expected. At first, she didn't understand the reason. She was so upset and thought it was a mean thing to do to her. When Ranger and her father explained the situation, she calmed down. Stephanie was actually surprised. Things had been so much better between them over the last six months than her entire life. They still had major issues to work on, but the important thing was they _were _working on it. Stephanie didn't want Ranger to worry so she called him next.

"Yo!" She smiled.

"Yo yourself! I just wanted to let you know I'm going out to lunch with Val. I'll be back in time for the meeting with Mr. Rasmussen. I love you." He relaxed. He was glad she wasn't upset after all.

"Love you, too. I'll see you when you get back." She put her phone in her bag and headed down to the garage. Val was already waiting for her by the Escape.

"I'm so glad we're doing this. I _have_ to talk to you," Val exclaimed. They got in the SUV and headed to the diner. "Hal wants to take me out." Stephanie frowned.

"Uh…haven't you _been_ going out with Hal?"

"Yes and no. We've gone out together, but always as a group. We've never gone out on a _solo_ date. He's held my hand, but he's never kissed me," Val admitted. Steph turned to face her. "I mean not _really_ kissed me."

"Are you serious? You haven't even kissed him?" Val's eyes widened, and she pointed to the windshield.

"Truck!" Stephanie turned to face front, saw that she had crossed the center line, and swerved back into their lane.

"Okay….we will finish this conversation once I park! I don't want to kill us on the way. Especially you, Val. I don't want to kill you accidently before you get laid again!" Val gasped as her jaw dropped. A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of the diner. They placed their order and sat in silence until the waitress hurried to the kitchen. "Okay…what gives? Don't tell me you plan on leading a celibate life?" Val turned crimson.

"Well…no. I just…I haven't…I'm not….." Val sighed. "I'm afraid."

"What are you afraid of?" Stephanie covered Val's hand with hers.

"I've only been with Steve. What if I suck in bed? Maybe that's why Steve cheated on me." The tears that were threatening began to fall. She dabbed her eyes with her napkin. "I really like Hal. He's so nice. I don't want to disappoint him. And…I don't know if I'm ready yet." Stephanie furrowed her brow.

"How can you not be ready for sex?"

"I'm not saying anything against you, Steph, but I can't just…_jump_ into bed with a guy!" Stephanie bit her lower lip.

"I didn't _jump_ into bed with Carlos. I _waited_!" Hey, he was an incredibly sexy man, and she had needs, too!

"How long did you wait to sleep with Carlos?" Val looked at her expectantly.

"Uh…well….a week…or less," Stephanie admitted. "Okay….so I'm a slut. But, I mean _look_ at him Val! Telling me not to sleep with him would be like telling me not to eat a doughnut. I have no will power."

"I don't know what to do. This is so hard. I can't just think about me. I have the girls to consider. Luckily, they really like Hal. And, Hal seems to like them. But, that doesn't mean he wants to become a full time father." Stephanie raised her eyebrows at her. "We're a package deal, Steph. If you want me, you have to want my girls." The waitress brought their lunch. They halted their conversation to dig in.

"Hal likes you. I don't think he's expecting you to rush into anything. It's okay to take it slow, Val. If Hal can't accept that, it's his loss." Val smiled.

"Really? You think Hal will understand?" Stephanie nodded.

"Hal is a really great guy. He's not like the others when it comes to women. Just tell him how you feel." Val mulled that over as she sipped her soda. Her eyes widened.

"Oh my God, Steph!" she whispered.

"What?" Stephanie turned to follow her gaze.

"No…._don't_ look yet! That girl has the _worst_ camel toe I have ever seen!" Stephanie turned to look. It was Camilla Tollson.

"Val! That's one of the girls we interviewed today. Holy shit! She was such a bitch!"

"Is that the one from Hooters?" Stephanie shook her head. "She's the _law _student? Dressed like that?"

"She called _me_ unprofessional. I kinda snored when she was giving us a dissertation on her background. I mean…she was going on and on and on. Then, she had the elephant balls to say that Carlos was replacing me because _I_ was unprofessional!" Val's eyes almost popped out of the sockets.

"She actually said that?" Stephanie nodded. "What did you say?" Stephanie sipped her coke.

"I pointed out that she needed to get clothes that fit, and that she had a major camel toe." Val started laughing.

"No, you didn't!" Stephanie laughed as well.

"Yes, I did!" Before they knew what was happening, Camilla was at their table.

"Laugh all you want! I just got a page from Rangeman. I'm sure Carlos wants me to replace you. I guess he _likes_ the way I'm dressed." She smiled triumphantly. Stephanie stiffened. Did something happen while she was out? She couldn't imagine Ranger hiring her. But, whatever the case was, she wasn't going to let her get to her. She looked Camilla up and down.

"Maybe you should try a size 10 next time? Aren't you feeling…_chafed_?" Camilla's smug smile dropped into a frown. The waitress squeezed past carrying a tray. Camilla grabbed the bowl of soup off the tray and threw it at Stephanie. Luckily, it wasn't piping hot. Val gasped. Before Stephanie could get out of her seat, she was restrained by Eddie Gazzara who had just come in for lunch.

"Let it go, Steph," he told her. But, Val leaped up and grabbed a lemon meringue pie. She smashed it in Camilla's face. Both Steph and Eddie's jaws dropped. Camilla, not to be out done, grabbed Val's soda and dowsed her with it. Before the staff could react, food was flying from every direction.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Anders Rasmussen arrived at 1:45. Ranger had him escorted up and met him in the conference room. He called Ella to bring down fresh coffee and refreshments. Stephanie had not gotten back from lunch yet. He called her cell phone, but only got her voice mail. "Babe…where are you?" He excused himself as Mr. Rasmussen helped himself to coffee and hurried over to Junior. "Where is she?"

"Diner," Junior told him. "Wait….looks like she's headed back here." Ranger sighed and headed back to the conference room. Tank, Bobby, Lester, Hal, Cal, Ram, and Woody had already assembled around the table and Ranger began introductions.

"Stephanie is on her way. I don't want to waste any of your time, Mr. Rasmussen, so we will get started," Ranger began. The conference room door burst open, and Stephanie came running in. She was covered in food. There was a creamy white substance on the left side of her head and shoulder. She had catsup on her neck. An errant spaghetti noodle dangled from her right shoulder. Her black shirt was soaking wet. Ranger raised an eye brow, and the Merry Men began to snicker.

"Sorry I'm late," she began out of breath. "There was a _slight_ problem with lunch." She walked over to Mr. Rasmussen and extended her hand. "I'm Stephanie. You must be Mr. Rasmussen. It's nice to meet you." Mr. Rasmussen rose and took her hand. She watched as he inspected the creamy white gunk in her hair. "Oh…cream of broccoli soup." She shrugged her shoulders. "I'd offer you some….but, it wasn't very good." She gave him her best smile. Mr. Rasmussen smirked and sat back down. Stephanie took her seat next to Ranger. She could feel his stare, so she turned to give him her heart melting smile. She knew he was amused because the corners of his mouth twitched.

"Mr. Rasmussen, why don't you tell us about your daughter?" Ranger asked him. Mr. Rasmussen nodded.

"I've had problems with Inga for the last six years. She was ten when her mother died. Cancer. They were very close. Unfortunately, I am a very busy man. Work keeps me busy, and I travel a lot. I've gotten her counseling. I've had nannies. I tried to give her everything she ever wanted. I'm not sure if she got in with a bad crowd. Or, it's drugs. I just don't know my daughter well enough. She's been missing for the last two weeks. She's never run away from home before. Truth is…there was never a reason for her to leave. I'm hardly around, and she is pretty much on her own. I'm not looking for anyone's sympathy and don't care if you judge me. I just want her found."

"Do you think she was kidnapped?" Ranger inquired. Mr. Rasmussen shook his head.

"I haven't received any ransom demands, so I doubt that. I think she's gotten into a situation that is over her head. I am not a great father." He saw the shocked look on their faces. "Don't get me wrong…I love my daughter. She is my family, and all I have left. But, my company takes up most of my time. I have obligations that have to come first. We fight. We have problems. But, I have told her that no matter what she does, I will always allow her in my home." He grabbed his brief case and pulled out a manila folder. "I have some pictures." He handed them to Ranger. Stephanie leaned over his shoulder to look at them. The girl had raven black hair, a couple piercings in her face, and wore black clothing.

"Huhnn…kinda dresses like you," Stephanie muttered in Ranger's ear. His mouth twitched again. He passed the pictures around to the others. "She's a Goth?"

"A what?" Mr. Rasmussen asked as he scrunched up his face.

"Goth. Gothic. They're very dark. Dress in black. It's kinda this generation's version of the punk movement in the late 70's," Stephanie explained. Mr. Rasmussen just shrugged.

"I don't know. I do know that she dyed her hair black. It's naturally blonde. I don't think she does drugs. Other than experimenting like all kids her age." Tank handed the photos back.

"When was the last time you saw her?" Lester asked him. He placed the manila folder back in his brief case before answering.

"Well…I last _saw_ her about a month ago. But, I last _spoke_ to her two weeks ago. That's the last time the maid saw her at home," he told them. Stephanie placed a hand on Ranger's thigh. This was tearing her apart. She had run away a few times as a child. It was a week before her family even knew she was gone one time. This girl was stirring up some powerful memories. She felt Ranger's warm hand on top of hers.

Ranger had a feeling this was hitting Stephanie hard. It was also making him feel a little guilty about Julie. Anders Rasmussen was so emotionally distant from his own daughter. It didn't even matter that they lived under the same roof. Ranger was a business man as well. He knew there were going to be times that he had to put Rangeman before his family. It's unavoidable when someone runs a large company. But, Mr. Rasmussen appeared to be a cold fish.

"Have you spoken to any of her friends or the teachers in her school?" Stephanie asked him. Again, he shook his head.

"I don't know any of her friends. It was the school that called to tell the maid she never showed up." Stephanie's eyes pleaded with Rangers. He knew they would take the case. Hell, it was even touching his heart strings. The guilt he felt about Julie was coursing through his veins. "Mr. Manoso….money is not an object. Whatever the fee is, I'll pay it." Ranger nodded.

"I would like to discuss this with my team, Mr. Rasmussen. As I told you before, we are not a detective agency and usually don't handle missing person cases," Ranger advised him. Mr. Rasmussen nodded and stood up.

"I understand fully." Ranger shook his hand.

"You will have our decision by the end of the business day."

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Manoso." He nodded to Stephanie. "Miss Plum." Ranger mentally frowned. He didn't remember Stephanie giving her last name when she introduced herself, but he wasn't sure if he had mentioned her last name when Mr. Rasmussen first arrived. Ranger nodded to Hal to show him out. He turned to Stephanie.

"Something tells me you want to take this case, Babe," he began as he picked the noodle off her shoulder and tossed it in the trash. Her head bobbed up and down.

"God, I can't tell you how much I can _relate_ to this girl," she gushed. "He was right. _Something_ must have happened to her to make her run away. Yeah, he's a total absentee father, but it doesn't sound like he's even around enough to make living at home a problem." The absentee father comment stung Ranger a little.

"Then we'll take this on. Stephanie will head this one up. She can start gathering all the background information on this girl and report back. We'll see where we need to go from there," Ranger told them. He turned to Stephanie. "Now….I want to hear about how you got covered in all that crap." The guys laughed.

"It wasn't my fault!" she insisted.

"It never is, Babe. What happened?" She rolled her eyes.

"Val and I went to the diner. Camel Toe shows up and throws hot soup on me….for _no_ reason!" Stephanie explained. Frowning, she added, "Did you leave a message for her to call back?" Ranger nodded.

"I had Ira in HR call her to tell her that she didn't get the job. It's standard operating procedure." Stephanie relaxed.

"Oh. Well anyway…she dumped the soup on me. For _no_ reason! Eddie grabbed me, so I wouldn't punch her in the face. Then all of a sudden, Val jumps up and smashes a pie in her face. Next thing I knew, food and beverages were everywhere." This got her Ranger's 200 watt smile.

"I knew this explanation would be good," Tank laughed.

"And, you didn't do anything at all to precipitate this?" Ranger nudged. Stephanie looked sheepish.

"No…you can even ask Val! We were just sitting there, and she comes over and throws soup on me." There were snickers and snorts. Ranger raised both eyebrows. "Well…there _may_ have been a comment about chafing….and maybe something about a size 10, but I didn't _do_ anything. I swear!"

"You mean to tell me that you just sat there, and _let_ her throw food on you?" Lester asked her incredulous. She shook her head.

"Hell no! I smashed her face into a plate of spaghetti. I don't remember how I got the catsup on me. At least I have black on. That white tee shirt will never come clean!" she replied triumphantly. Lester held out his hand for a high five, and she reciprocated. Ranger just shook his head.

"I'm going to call the business office to figure out the fee schedule, and I'll call him later to accept the case. How do you want to start this?"

"Well, if it's okay with Mr. Rasmussen, I'd like to stop by the house tomorrow. I want to look in her room first. Then, if she has a cell phone…get the records for that. See if she has a computer….stuff like that," she decided. Ranger nodded. "But now…I'm going to take a shower and get this crap off me. I have to hurry because Lula's taking me to see a man about a car." Ranger sighed. He knew he promised to let her handle it, but if Lula was involved, this couldn't be good.

"Why don't I go with you?" he suggested as he followed her and the group out of the conference room. She turned and put a hand to his chest.

"No. I can handle this, Carlos. If I need your help, I will ask for it…okay?" He kissed her forehead.

"Okay." He watched her walk to the elevator. Tank sidled up next to him.

"Do you want me to have someone follow her?" Ranger thought for a second, then shook his head.

"No. She wants to do this on her own. I promised her." Ranger rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. "God help me." Tank started to laugh. "Don't say it, Tank." Ranger headed for the stairs to go to the business office.

"Whipped," Tank muttered after him. Ranger flipped him the finger before he disappeared into the stair well.

After meeting with the Business Manager and calling Mr. Rasmussen, Ranger hurried back up to 7 to try to catch Stephanie in the shower. He was disappointed to find her showered and dressed by the time he got back. She was finishing up drying her hair. "When is Lula picking you up, Babe?" Not realizing Ranger was standing in the door way, she was so caught off guard that she screamed. The hair dryer flew out of her hands and bounced off the side of his head. "Fuck!" Stephanie leaned against the counter with a hand to her chest.

"Jesus, Carlos! Make some noise next time…will ya?" He picked up the dryer and placed it on the counter. He looked at himself in the mirror. The dryer clocked him on the forehead right above his left eye. There was the beginning of a bruise. She brushed the hair back off his face to inspect the site. "Sorry."

"I was hoping to catch you in the shower," he told her with his wolfish grin. He pulled her close and kissed her.

"I'd like to continue this, but I have to go. Promise me a rain check?"

"Count on it." She grabbed her bag, a jacket, and Ivy's leash. Her phone rang. It was Lula calling to tell her she was just pulling up front.

The car was perfect. It was a perfect piece of shit. _Exactly_ what she was looking for. It was a 1966 Chevy Nova. It used to be midnight blue. It still was in a few spots, but it was mostly a brick red color. Dejuan got in the car and turned the motor over. It surprised Stephanie that it actually started. A thick cloud of black smoke poured out of the tail pipe, and they all disappeared in the dense fog. Coughing, Stephanie waved a hand frantically in front of her face to clear the smoke. Lula mimicked her. Ivy began to whine. The air cleared after a few minutes. "Sorry about that," Dejuan apologized. "I hadn't started this car in a while. It will do that until it gets used to runnin' regular like." Stephanie looked over the car.

"What do you think?" she asked Lula. Lula turned her nose up in disgust. Stephanie sighed and put her hands on her hips. "I know it's not much to look at, but that's the whole point."

"I would be embarrassed if that was my car," Lula told her. "I think you should just forget this, and let Ranger buy you a new car. Why would you want a piece of shit anyway? I'd bet Ranger would buy you a Porsche! I would look real fine with you driving me around in a Porsche." Stephanie huffed.

"No way! I don't want him to buy me a car. First of all…look what happens to my cars. Bad things! Bad things _happen_ to my cars. Do you think he should buy me a new car every time something happens to one of mine?" Lula thought for a minute.

"Yeah. He can afford it. Besides…Ranger loves you. And, you would embarrass the hell outta his ass if you was seen driving around in this…._thing_." Dejuan got out of the car.

"Now Lula…don't be puttin' down my automobiles. A Chevy Nova is a classic. This here car is an antique. It's all original. Come here, Stephanie. Let me show you the interior." Stephanie sat in the driver's seat. The car had an odd smell. Something she couldn't quite identify…and, was a little scared to even try. "Now this is an older model, so it only has lap belts. It's got an AM radio that still works. I know it's not real pretty to look at, but it will get you where you want to go." Stephanie thought for a moment. It didn't matter to her that the car was kind of ugly and smelled…uh…bad. She knew Ranger was going to shit Frisbees when he saw it. She needed a car. And, if anything…well _when_ something happened to the car, she wouldn't be as upset.

"Can I take it for a test drive?"

"White Girl…_tell_ me you ain't serious about this car?" Lula's eyes widened.

"Yes, I am. Now get in here and go for a test drive with me!" she demanded. Lula smacked her lips, but got in the passenger door. She sniffed the air.

"What the hell is that smell?" She began to roll down the window, and the handle came off in her hand. "Look at this shit!" She waved the handle around to show her.

"I know you don't like the car, Lula, but don't break things on me!"

"I didn't. This shit just fell off. Go ahead. Drive yo' ass around the block in this piece a shit or somethin'. And, if you actually _buy_ this crap mobile, I'm followin' you home, so I can see the look on Ranger's face when you pull in the bat cave and try to park this next to all his nice cars." Stephanie rolled her eyes. Stephanie called to Ivy to get in, but even the dog was reluctant. Steph jerked on her leash until Ivy hopped into the back seat where she began to whine again. "Look…even yo' dog is afraid of this car." She put the car in drive and started to pull out onto the street. The car sputtered and jerked but smoothed out by the time she turned the corner. It made it around the block with no problems. She pulled back into Dejuan's lot. The car backfired. Stephanie and Lula both instinctively dove for cover on the front seat smacking their heads together. Ivy began to bark. More black smoke poured from the tail pipe and covered the car once again.

"Ow," Stephanie whined as she rubbed the top of her head.

"Damn! Good thing I gotta weave, or otherwise I think you woulda given me a concussion," Lula groaned. Dejuan waited for the smoke to clear before approaching the car.

"So…do you want the car?" Lula frantically shook her head no. Stephanie thought for a second.

"I'll take it."

Ranger had finished up some paperwork when Junior buzzed him on the intercom. "Uh…Boss? I think you better take a look at this." Ranger met Tank at the monitor station. Junior pulled up the camera of the garage entrance to the main screen. Ranger, who was the master of the poker face, visibly blanched and gagged. Tank bellowed with laughter. "What the hell _is_ that?" Junior looked at him expectantly.

"Stephanie's new car," he sighed and closed his eyes.

Stephanie pulled into the parking garage with Lula right behind her. Ranger, Tank, Hal, and Woody were waiting by the elevator. Lester and Bobby had just pulled in seconds before and were just getting out of their SUV. Steph pulled in right behind Ranger's cars. She put the car into park, and it backfired again as the black smoke poured out of the tail pipe. Ranger and Tank instinctively drew their guns while the Merry Men hit the deck. The pollution cloud filled the garage. Putting their weapons away and getting off the ground, the men coughed and choked trying to fan the smoke away. Stephanie opened the door, and Ivy bolted for the elevator. Ranger slowly walked over to her shaking his head. "Babe."

"So….what do you think?" she asked him with a smile.

"Turn that thing off. Otherwise, we're all going to die of carbon monoxide poisoning," Ranger told her.

"I _did_ shut it off," she insisted. Ranger frowned.

"Well, why is it still running?" Stephanie shrugged. The car choked and sputtered and finally fell silent.

"Please tell me you didn't buy this," he groaned. He walked the length of the car giving it a once over. Lula got out of her car and walked over as the smoke began to dissipate. The men nodded to her, and Tank gave her a smile.

"Oh…she bought it alright. Look…even Ivy is afraid of this car," Lula told him. "I guess it's true about animals…they _can_ sense evil." Stephanie glared at her.

"Carlos, I know it's not a nice looking car…but it runs. That's what's important," Stephanie insisted. "It used to be blue, but someone must have painted it this brick color or something."

"Babe, that's not paint….it's rust," Ranger explained. "What year is this car?" The back left quarter panel appeared to have a bullet hole in it. Ranger squatted down to get a better look. He put his finger in the hole, and a large section broke off.

"Okay….I get it. You don't like the car, but that doesn't mean that you have to break it!" Stephanie huffed. Ranger popped back up.

"I didn't _break_ it….it disintegrated! This car is rusted out!" he insisted.

"Beautiful, this car really is a piece of shit," Lester told her with his lopsided smile.

"Of course, it's a piece of shit, Lester! It's _supposed_ to be a piece of shit! That's the whole point!" she replied. She started to feel a little tired, but she knew she had to endure the rest of the inquisition. Hal popped the hood to take a look.

"I'll change the oil and the fluids for you, Steph. Maybe tune things up a bit," Hal offered. She gave him a smile.

"Thank you, Hal." She turned to Ranger. "Look, I know you don't like the car. I know it's ugly. But, I don't care. I can't have a nice car. This will do fine." Ranger hung his head. He wanted to argue. He _hated_ the car. But, he could see that she looked tired. If he made any comments now, it would start a fight. Then, she would cry. He ripped him apart to see her cry. "This is something I can afford," she added softly.

"Fine. Hal will look the car over for you. Let's just go upstairs, and we'll talk about it later." She nodded and let him lead her to the elevator. Ranger looked back at Tank, made a gun with his left hand putting it to his head, and feigned pulling the trigger before getting on the elevator. Turning to face Stephanie, Ranger pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"You really hate the car…don't you?" she asked, voiced muffled by his chest.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"The reasons are too numerous to count." His response made her giggle. He took her hand and led her into the apartment. "Why don't you lie down for a while? Ella won't have dinner ready for another hour or so." She yawned and nodded. She began to head for the bedroom, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him. His mouth crashed onto hers gently rolling his tongue over hers. Stephanie couldn't hold back her whimper. He broke off the kiss and patted her bottom.

"I love you." He smiled back.

"I hate the car…but, I love you too, Babe." Rolling her eyes, she headed back to the bedroom. Ranger waited ten minutes before returning to the garage. Hal was still checking out the motor. Tank was chatting with Lula. Woody, Lester, and Bobby were checking out the rest of the car. They all had the look of disgust on their faces, like they had found a turd in a buffet or something. Ranger walked over to the car and shook his head.

"You're not seriously going to let her drive this….uh…_vehicle_, are you Boss?" Woody asked. Hal closed the hood.

"Actually, the motor's not in all that bad of shape for a 1966 model. Just needs the fluids to be changed and maybe a tune up," Hal told him. Great, Ranger groaned to himself. He was hoping the car would just die. The damn thing was older than all of them. All eyes focused on him, expectantly waiting for his answer.

"I don't know what to do," he replied honestly. "It's _her_ car. She doesn't want me to get her a new car. I don't want her driving this piece of shit. Christ! Even the damn dog hates this car. But…it's her decision."

"Maybe somethin' should…I mean…could _happen_ to this car," Lula began. "I mean, shit happens to White Girl's cars all the time. Why should this car be any different?" Tank immediately picked up on where Lula was going.

"That's definitely something to think about, Ranger," Tank added. Ranger smiled.

"If this thing doesn't die by next week, then we will figure out a way to send it to car heaven…_without_ Stephanie finding out about it," he agreed. He started to feel a little better about this car situation. "Woody…have Hector put a GPS on it."

"Is Steph okay?" Bobby asked. Ranger nodded.

"I could tell she was getting tired. If we pushed her about the car, she would have gotten upset. That would not have been a good thing for more reasons than one. Eventually, I'm getting her a new car whether she likes it or not. She'll need something safe and reliable after the baby's born. But, I'm not going to fight with her about it now." Bobby smirked.

"I think we should paint a #2 on the sides of this thing," Lester said.

"#2? What for?" Woody asked frowning.

"Because it's a piece of shit. You know….#2," Lester explained. The guys laughed. "The #2 mobile!"

"Luis has some white paint downstairs," Woody added. Ranger just shook his head. If Stephanie wasn't embarrassed to be seen driving this car, a number two painted on the side wouldn't matter.

"I don't even want to know about it. Tank….I'll be upstairs if you need me," Ranger told them as he headed for the elevator. Woody and Lester headed for the stairs to get the white paint.

Ella was still in the kitchen having just brought up their dinner. "I see that Stephanie is sleeping. Do you want to eat now, or are you going to wait for her?"

"I'll wait for her. Thank you, Ella. This smells great." She made roast chicken and vegetables. And, chocolate cake. She caught him staring at the cake.

"Let her alone!" she scolded. "You should be thankful she has been eating healthier since she became pregnant. A little chocolate cake is not going to hurt her." Ranger grinned.

"Ella…you know there is no such thing as a _little_ chocolate cake when it comes to Stephanie." Ella laughed.

"Oh, Luis wanted to know what was going on with all that smoke in the garage. What was that?" Ranger groaned.

"It's Stephanie's new car." He grabbed a green bean and popped it into his mouth. "She won't let me buy her a new car." She opened her mouth to say something, but Ranger waved her off. "Just don't ask. I'm hoping it will die….or, maybe just disintegrate into a big pile of rust."

"Is the car safe?"

"Lester and Woody are painting a #2 on the side of the car as we speak." Ella gave him a quizzical look. "The car is a piece of shit." Ella started to chuckle when she got the joke.

"Let me know if you need anything," she told him as she headed for the door. "Oh, I bought more saltines. I'll make sure to keep you stocked up here and on the 5th floor." Ranger thanked her then went to check on Stephanie. He put his weapons away, toed off his boots, and climbed in the bed next to her. It wasn't long before he was sound asleep snuggled up next to her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Ranger was disappointed that he had another restless night. He thought he had gotten over whatever it was that was keeping him up nights. What the hell was wrong with him? After wandering the halls in the building for the 5th time, he went down to the garage to look at Stephanie's car again. They had it parked between his truck and the Mercedes. The #2 couldn't be seen until he was standing right in front of the car. The #2 was painted on a slant to give the appearance of speed. They must have enlisted Hector's help. Hector was a pretty good graffiti artist at one point. He had hoped the car wouldn't look so bad the next day, after he had time to process and get over the initial shock of seeing that piece of crap. He was wrong. It looked worse, and he hated it even more. There was a small part of him that didn't want that thing seen in his garage. He did have his reputation to protect. But mainly, he just didn't think the car was safe to be driving. He wasn't supposed to be driving yet, but he would have one of his men drive it to check it out.

They were going to be busy the next few days. Later that evening, they had the take down with Lester dressed up as a tranny. Ranger smiled. Stephanie would be starting her investigation of the missing Rasmussen girl. They had to figure out what to do with the other FTA since they didn't have a distraction girl yet. Saturday, they were having dinner at his parents. His sister Selma was going to be there. She was an OB/GYN, and he had so many questions. And, maybe if he could get some alone time with his father, he could talk about some of the things on his mind. His father was one of the few people that understood him. He looked at his watch. It was only 2:00 AM. He decided he would work out a little in the gym since he still wasn't tired.

Stephanie scheduled an appointment to meet Mr. Rasmussen at his home at 8:30. Ranger wasn't in the apartment when she awoke. It was 7:45, and she hurried to get ready. She stopped on 5 to have the guys on monitors to watch Ivy. Binky, a transfer from the Atlanta office, was there. "Have you seen Ranger?" He nodded towards his office. She thanked him before heading to the garage. She didn't want to be late for her first meeting. Since it was Rangeman business, she planned to take the Escape. She saw that Hal had parked her car between Ranger's cars. She wasn't close enough to notice the artwork that had been added.

The Rasmussens lived in a well to do section outside of Trenton. The community was gated, but Mr. Rasmussen had left word with the guard of her arrival. The house was impressive. It was set back from the road. Mr. Rasmussen was waiting for her in his study. "I am pleased that Rangeman decided to take on this case for me, Miss Plum."

"Please call me Stephanie," she told him.

"I wish I could spend more time with you today, but I have several very important meetings. Helga?" A middle aged woman appeared in the doorway. "Please show Stephanie Inga's room. If you need to remove anything for further examination, just let Helga know what was taken. Again, I thank you for your help…and your discretion." He abruptly left.

"This way," Helga told her. She led Stephanie to a room on the second floor at the end of the hall. It was a huge bedroom that was tastefully decorated. The walls were a light cream color with a lot of pink and blue pastel accents. She didn't expect the room to be so bright and cheerful. There was a picture of Inga before she dyed her hair black. She was an average looking girl. The room held a few personal touches. Stephanie opened the first door which revealed a bathroom. Nothing unusual there. The other door was a large walk-in closet. On one side of the closet, there was nothing but black clothes. The other side contained more traditional teenage clothes in various colors. She noticed several empty hangers between the black clothes and more on the floor. That gave her the impression that Inga had run away. She backed out of the closet and went over to the small alcove that held a desk and bookshelves. A closed laptop sat on top of the desk. Her book collection was an odd assortment of old Nancy Drews, romance novels, vampires, witchcraft, and Satanism.

"What has this kid gotten into?" she asked aloud. She looked around to see if Inga kept a journal or a diary. She glanced back at the laptop. Now a days, kids used the internet. She opened the laptop and booted it up. Just like she suspected, it was password protected. She could have Hector hack into it. A yearbook caught her eye. It was from the previous school year. She thumbed through it. Inga's hair was blonde, and only her ears were pierced. Something changed in the last year. There were several handwritten notes from friends. So far, Stephanie planned to take the yearbook and the laptop back with her. She didn't see a pocketbook or cell phone around. Inga probably took that stuff with her. She would have to ask Mr. Rasmussen about the cell phone bills. Her room had so few personal touches. Like the rest of the house. It seemed more like a museum, or a model home, versus a place where people actually lived. It made her think of Ranger's apartment. His apartment looked more lived it because of all her crap. Maybe this was how the rich lived? Ranger wasn't always wealthy. He came from a middle class home just like she did. She wandered around the rest of the house. The whole place was so cold and impersonal. She found Helga in the kitchen. "Hi. I was wondering…could I ask you a few questions?" Helga stopped what she was doing and wiped her hands on her apron. She didn't say anything, so Stephanie assumed it was okay. "Did Inga talk to you about any problems she might have been having?"

"No." Good God, Stephanie thought, this is going to be like asking Ranger questions.

"Uh…did anything _happen_ to her this past year? I don't know…like breaking up with a boyfriend?"

"No." Helga had that Rangeman stone face going on.

"Did you ever find any drugs in her room?"

"No." Okay…this is going great.

"Did you ever talk to her at all?"

"Yes."

"Do you ever use more than one syllable words?" Helga turned to get back to what she was doing. "Okay….look. I'm trying to find out where Inga is. _Any_ information you have could be very helpful."

"I only spoke to her very briefly at meal time." Alright…now we are getting somewhere!

"What did you talk about?" Stephanie prodded and motioned her hand for Helga to continue.

"I told her that her meal was ready." Wise ass.

"You never talked about anything more personal?"

"No."

"Did she ever have any friends over?"

"No." Stephanie began to realize that loneliness could be another reason to run away and not just a bad home life. Since Helga was such a fountain of knowledge, Stephanie decided to just head back to Rangeman with the yearbook and the laptop. She told Helga what she was taking then was escorted out. Once she was back in the Escape, the tears fell. Although she knew a part of it was the hormones, her heart was breaking for this girl. She probably felt that no one cared about her. And, the sad part about it….she was probably right. She decided to take the long way back to Haywood to get herself under control. She didn't want Ranger to think that she couldn't handle this job. After about thirty minutes, she was calm, cool, and collected when she pulled into the garage.

Stephanie made it up to the Control Room and found Hector. "I need to try to get into this laptop, but it's password protected. I want to see what sites she's been on and check her emails." Hector nodded.

"No problem, Bonita. How soon do you need it?"

"As soon as you can."

"I'm on it." He took the laptop and headed for his office. Hearing Ranger's voice, she knew he was in his office. She waited in the door way until he acknowledged her presence. He waved her in as he wrapped up his phone call.

"How'd things go?" Stephanie shuffled to the desk smiling. She opened her mouth to tell him, but the smile waned. Her lower lip started to quiver and tears rolled down her cheeks. He was around the desk in two long strides and pulled her close.

She was grateful that he didn't say anything. He just held her to him gently rubbing her back in a soothing manner. The warmth of his body and the scent of Bulgari gave her comfort. Damn, she didn't want to cry. It was several minutes before he spoke. "What's wrong, Babe?" he asked her softly. She sniffled and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"I was wrong about her not having a reason to run away," she began. "That house is so….._cold_. She was probably so lonely after her mother died." He continued to hold her, rocking her gently and rubbing her back.

"What can I do?" he asked in a low and husky voice. She pulled back and looked directly into his eyes.

"Make love to me, Carlos," she whispered. His eyes dilated. Breaking from her, he sauntered to the door to close and lock it. Unhooking his utility belt and tossing it aside, he walked back to her and began to kiss her passionately. She helped him remove his shirt then ran her hands over the firm muscles of his chest and abdomen. Separating only to finish getting undressed, Ranger pulled her to the couch. He flopped down, and she straddled him. Raising up her hips, he guided himself into her wetness as she slid down on top of him. He cut his eyes down to where they were joined and was mesmerized watching her move up and down on him.

She needed him badly. She needed to feel his love for her. Being at the Rasmussen's house brought back so many bad memories from her childhood. With Ranger inside her, she felt like there was no wrong. He made her feel alive. Arching her back, his tongue began to tease her nipple. Her nipples were hypersensitive now. Although she knew the walls were fairly well sound proofed, she tried to keep her moans down to a respectable level. She noticed that Ranger was also more quiet than usual. Ranger went from teasing her nipple to suckling. She hissed because this caused both pleasure and pain. She had felt the pressure building, but this pushed her over the edge. Throwing her head back, she cried out as she came.

"That's it, Babe," Ranger growled. "Come for me." Having satisfied his woman, he quickened his pace as he had felt the tingle in his lower abdomen becoming stronger. She continued to rock her hips with his rhythm until he came to a finish. He dropped his head back on the couch and pulled her into him. He could still feel the aftershocks pulsing inside her as they caught their breath. After a few minutes, she climbed off him and snuggled into his side. "I love you so much, Stephanie." He took her hand and kissed her palm.

"I love you too, Carlos." It wasn't just the love-making that gave her comfort. It was Ranger. She realized how much she needed him in her life. She knew that she loved him, but this was the first time she ever _needed_ a man. It scared her. She suddenly pulled away and reached for her clothes.

Ranger sensed something changed. She practically jumped away from him to grab her clothes. He watched her frantically pulling on her panties and cargos. She didn't say a word, nor did she look in his direction. Sighing, he began to gather his clothes and get dressed. After she finished dressing, she started to head for the door. She spun around and wrapped her arms around his waist. He snaked around his left arm to pull her in closer.

"Please don't ever leave me," she whispered to him. He kissed the top of her head.

"Never. I'd never let you go." She leaned up to kiss him.

"I'm just going to see if Hector was able to get into her computer," she explained before leaving.

Hector had no problem getting into Inga's computer. "I disabled all the passwords. You should be able to get into all her email and websites. She saved them in her favorites. If you can't find what you are looking for, let me know," he told her. She kissed his check.

"You're amazing, Hector. Thank you." He grinned.

"So…you're helping Lester get ready for tonight?" Stephanie giggled and nodded. "This is going to be good. Are you going with them?"

"Well…Carlos didn't say that I _couldn't_ go. But…probably not. I mean I have to pee all the time. Can you imagine Tank or Carlos having to take me to a bathroom every 15 minutes while they're trying to keep an eye on the skip?" Hector smirked. "Hey…thanks again." She took the laptop up to Ranger's office on 7 to check it out.

It was getting close to lunch time. Stephanie decided to take a quick shower before she got involved with Inga's computer. Her stomach begged for food. God bless Ella! She had sliced the rest of the roasted chicken and put it in their fridge for sandwiches. And, a slice of chocolate cake! She hastily made herself a chicken sandwich on multigrain bread, poured herself an ice cold glass of chocolate milk, and lastly added the cake to her tray. Glancing at the tray, she was satisfied that she had everything she needed before taking it into Ranger's office.

While munching on her lunch, Stephanie scrolled through Inga's favorites. She had a MySpace page and had booked marked several vampire sites. She started with the MySpace page. Nothing odd on this site. She jotted down names of her friends. She continued to scan through several vampire sites until she came to one called Embrace the Night. Inga seemed to be the most active on this site. She went by the pen name Queen of the Damned. She had been a member of this site for a little more than six months. The earlier posts were about drinking blood and losing her 'virginity' so to speak. She corresponded a lot with Drusilla, Medusa, Son of Vlad, Satan's Only Son, and High Priest. Her vampire friends explained their lifestyles, what it means to be a blood vampire, how to become one, where to hang out, and how to dress.

"These people really need to get a life," Stephanie muttered. Then again, Inga really didn't have a life. It was sad that this girl was so lonely that she sought out friends on a vampire website. Stephanie scrolled back to the archives to her first post. She didn't want to miss anything and thought it would be important to read every post that involved Inga. She decided to see how far she would get today. If there were still too many posts to read, she would ask Val and maybe Lester or Hector to help her. She hoped Inga had just run off with these kooks and was just trying to have a little fun. Unfortunately, her senses were telling her something else. She could feel down to her toes that Inga was in trouble. And, time was running out.

"How are things going, Babe?" Stephanie screamed. Ranger jumped back. She smacked him on the arm.

"Stop doing that!" she demanded. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she tried to slow her breathing down. "You don't want me doing distractions…fine! But, I'm sure scaring the shit out of me can't be good for the baby either!" She buried her face in her hands. He raised an eye brow.

"Babe, I called to you when I came in the apartment," he insisted. "You didn't answer. I wasn't trying to scare you. Sorry." He pulled her to him, and she melted into his chest. "Why are you so jumpy?"

"I guess it's because of the vampires." She felt Ranger stiffen.

"Tell me you didn't just say vampires." She snorted.

"I wish I didn't, but I did," came her muffled reply. She pulled back and gave him a sheepish grin. "I think Inga is really in trouble. So far, I found that she got involved in a vampire website about six months ago. It's sort of creepy." She showed him the site. Ranger's jaw set tight. "I found her first post and am trying to read them all to see if I can find any clues as to where she is. I might need some help. I want to see how far I get tonight, but may need to use Val. If it's okay with you, I might also recruit Hector and Lester, too." He nodded.

"Whatever you need. Why do you think she's in trouble?"

"Just a feeling. And….I think it's really bad, too." Ranger trusted her instincts. If Stephanie felt Inga was in serious trouble, she probably was. He looked at the empty tray.

"You stopped to eat lunch?" She nodded. He smiled. Although he had a child, he really knew nothing about pregnant women other than cravings for pickles and ice cream. He knew Stephanie threw up a lot and fatigued easily. He researched the symptoms on the internet and had plenty of questions for his sister. Rachel had a fairly easy pregnancy with Julie, or so he was told. He wasn't around for the majority of it, nor was he there when Julie was born. "Ella's bringing up dinner in an hour. Why don't you take a nap?" She whirled around to look at the clock. It was 5:15.

"Wow! I didn't realize how late it got!" she exclaimed. She had been so involved in her research that time got away from her. "Uh…I think I'll take Ivy for a walk first. I want to stretch my legs. Then, I'll take it easy. Promise."

"One of the guys can take her out, Babe. I'm going to need you on this project. But, I don't want you overdoing it either," he told her as he pulled out his phone to call the Control Room. She rolled her eyes. Before she could protest, he added, "Don't forget that you're going to have to get Lester ready later. Please?" She nodded.

Damn, he got her with the please. Worked every _friggin'_ time. A few minutes later, Hal was at the door to get Ivy. She wanted to argue, but conceded because he _was_ trying. Ranger wasn't going to change overnight. They both needed to learn the art of compromise. If she proved to him that she was willing to take care of herself, Ranger would ease up on the caveman act. At least she hoped he would. Although she wasn't tired, she decided to lie on the couch and watch TV. Judge Judy was coming on anyway.

Lester needed to be ready to go by 8:00. He called Stephanie at 6:30 to let her know that he was ready for her. With a last minute thought, she grabbed her perfume before she headed down to his apartment. Lester answered the door in sweat pants. "I'm wearing underwear," he told her with a huge grin.

"You are so not right," she muttered. "Did you put on the pantyhose?" He shook his head.

"I wasn't sure how, and I didn't want to rip them." He handed her the package. They were opaque tights. He wouldn't have to shave his legs using these instead of regular pantyhose.

"Okay…first get your bra on, and then your dress. We'll put these on after." Lester nodded. He slipped on the bra, and Stephanie fastened it in the back. She put the falsies in place, and he gave them another squeeze. "Leave your boobs alone. I don't want to keep adjusting them." He gave her a sly grin.

"Sorry…can't help it." He put on the dress then slipped off his sweat pants. She motioned to the edge of the bed, and he sat down. She wadded up the leg of the tights. Stephanie began to snake it over his foot and up his leg to his knee. She repeated it on the other leg.

"Stand up." He did as he was told. She got the tights to his mid thigh. "Okay, now you do it gently the rest of the way up." He gingerly tugged at the tights and got it in place.

"I can't believe you have to go through this all the time. This is a lot of work." She giggled.

"Well, I haven't worn pantyhose in a long time. I prefer thigh highs or a garter belt." He closed his eyes and groaned.

"I wish you hadn't told me that!" Stephanie glanced around the apartment looking to find the best lighted area. "What are you looking for?"

"I guess the bathroom will be the best place to do your make up," she told him. She started with the foundation. She borrowed it from Ella. His olive skin tone was too dark for her makeup. She was working on his eyes when she noticed little beads of sweat on his brow. "A little nervous?" He nodded.

"I don't know what the hell to say to this guy. I'm used to women."

"Just say what you normally say to a woman you want to pick up."

"Yeah…right!"

"Seriously, Les. Just use those stupid lines you always use. Since men think women fall for that crap, this is the perfect situation for you. You will be trying to pick up a guy this time. He should probably fall for those lines," she joked. He smirked.

"You always know the right things to say, Beautiful. I've never done this before. My luck, he'll go straight for my dick…uh…my um…thing." He gave her a sheepish look. He didn't mean to be so crude to her. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I know what you're saying. I don't appreciate some disgusting skip's hand my ass…or, any other body part either. Just look at it as a job. That's all it is. It's got nothing to do with who you are. You're getting paid to play a role. That's how I look at it." Lester thought for a moment.

"Guess that's a good way of looking at it," he agreed. "Of course, I'm going to be the butt of every joke for the next few months." She giggled.

"Or, at least until tomorrow. I plan on doing some research, and I'll be driving my new car. I'm sure that will cause people to forget about you trying to pick up a gay man in a gay bar tonight." He shook his head. Maybe the #2 mobile wouldn't be such a bad thing after all. If anything could make the guys forget about tonight, he was sure that car could do it.

She finished up his make up and put on his wig. It was shoulder length and curly. He picked a curly wig because he thought the curls would bring him some luck. "Holy shit," he muttered as he looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't recognize himself……thank God! Stephanie squirted something on his neck. Before he could ask what it was, the familiar scent of her perfume wafted up to his nose. He loved this scent. It was hot. "Damn that smells good on me." He took the red bottle from her hand to read the label. "Hypnotic Poison." She nodded.

"It's my favorite. It's all I ever wear. The only problem is that I can hardly smell it any more. I guess I'm so used to it." She shrugged her shoulders. "It should add the right touch for tonight." Her cell phone rang. It was Ranger. He was calling to tell them it was time to go. Lester took one last look at himself and sighed.

"This is for my house. This is for my house…." he mumbled to himself. She took his hand.

"You'll do fine. Let's go."

Hal and Cal were already in place. Hal called the Control Room to let the team know that Harold Contarsky had arrived. Lester and Stephanie were greeted with a roar of laughter as they exited the elevator. Stephanie grabbed his hand again and pulled him behind her. Clumping along in his heels, Lester kept his head down and didn't look at anyone.

"Holy Shit!" Ram exclaimed. "Santos has no ass!"

"Maybe you should have worn a shorter dress like Bomber," Woody added. Lester's dress was more conservative than the usual just-below-the-ass dresses that Stephanie generally wore. His skirt came about three inches above his knee.

"I can't wear something that short 'cause my _dick_ would hang out," Lester told them. More laughter.

"Oh yeah…Mr. Inch and a Half of Dangling Fury!" Ram chided. Ranger cleared his throat.

"Oh yeah? You wish you had at least _half_ of what I got Ram….Mr. Inch High Private Eye!" Lester retorted. Ranger didn't mind the guys joking around. He was used to it. He just didn't appreciate the topic of conversation in front of his Stephanie.

"Enough!" Ranger growled. "Save the talk about Lester's dick for the locker room. Right now…we've got a job to do." The Merry Men had gotten so comfortable with having Stephanie around; they would forget at times to watch what they were talking about. Tank took the lead.

"Alright…you heard the man. Let's move out," he told them. Tank headed for the elevator followed by Woody, Bobby, and Ram. Stephanie was giving Lester's wig some last minute adjustments.

"Sorry about that, Beautiful," he sighed. She gave him a sly smile. His confidence was a little shaken on this one. She needed to do something to get it back.

"I know it's more than an inch and a half. They're just jealous," she whispered in his ear then gave him a wink. She had been taken by surprise when he accidently flashed her and Ella the other day. She didn't have the time to take inventory, but from what she saw, he had nothing to be embarrassed about. He gave her a lopsided smile and kissed her on the mouth.

"Thanks." She turned to Ranger, who was staring at her with raised eyebrows. She gave him a quick kiss as well.

"See you when you get back. Good luck," Ranger grinned and headed for the elevator with Lester.

"Steph?" Zip asked from the monitor station. She walked over to watch them in the elevator. Ranger stood on one side and Lester on the other. "Did you know that you got Lester's lipstick on your mouth?" She nodded. "And, that you got lipstick on Ranger when you kissed him?" She nodded again. Zip and Junior started laughing. "This is going to be good." They all watched the monitors in the garage and waited. Zip turned on the sound for the mic.

The men were standing around the SUVs waiting for Ranger and Lester. Tank saw lipstick smeared all over Ranger's mouth. It was the same color as Lester's. Tank choked with laughter.

"What?" Ranger asked. Ram and Woody noticed the lipstick as well. They tried to hold back their reaction. It was one thing to laugh at Lester, but this was the boss.

"Did you play tonsil hockey with Santos in the elevator?" Tank joked. "It's really not your shade!" Lester noticed the lipstick and smirked. He knew full well that Steph did that to get him to relax. He looked up at the camera and gave a salute. Ranger looked at himself in the side view mirror on the SUV.

"Fuck," he muttered as he pulled out a black bandana out of his pocket and wiped it off.

"I guess Bombshell's got some competition," Tank laughed and clapped him on his good shoulder. Lester pushed in next to Ranger to look at his face.

"You didn't fuck up my makeup, did you?" he asked Ranger.

"No…but I'll fuck up your face in a minute," Ranger told him. "Enough screwing around." Poor choice of words, he thought to himself as they laughed again. "Let's get this over with." Ram, Woody, and Bobby got into one SUV and Tank, Ranger, and Lester the other one. Ranger made a call to the Control Room.

"Control Room, Junior."

"Put her on the phone," he ordered. Junior smiled and handed Steph the phone. She knew he was going to call her. That's why she waited.

"Hello?"

"Babe." He disconnected. Giggling, Stephanie handed the phone back to Junior.

"Are you in trouble?" Zip asked her with a grin.

"I hope so!"

"Do you want to listen to this going down?" Junior offered. She shook her head. She wanted to get back to work on reviewing that vampire website.

"Save me a copy," she decided and headed back up to 7.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

They drove in silence to the Other Half. Ranger sniffed the air. It was unmistakably Stephanie's perfume. He turned to face Lester. "What are you wearing?"

"It's a green dress. I don't know the designer," Lester told him.

"_Not_ the dress. Are you wearing Stephanie's perfume?"

"Yeah…she squirted it on me for luck." Ranger nodded and turned around. She never disappointed. She knew it would add the right touch. That stuff drove him wild the first time he smelled it on her.

"It smells good on you," Tank added. Ranger smirked.

"Thanks," Lester mumbled. Ranger shook his head. This was going to be the oddest distraction Rangeman ever did.

Hal reported that Harold Contarsky was sitting at a table near the jukebox with two other men. Cal reported there were a few trannies in the bar but no red heads. Contarsky had a reputation for tall red heads. A quick mic check was done to make sure everyone was on line.

"Go get 'em, Tiger," Bobby told Lester and swatted him on the backside. Lester clumped into the bar on his two inch heels. At six foot three, Lester didn't need high heels, but Stephanie didn't like the look in the flats. Hal fought to keep a straight face and snickered as Lester passed him in the door way.

Lester slowly made his way over to the end of the bar. He was too nervous to look around the bar, but could feel that everyone was looking at him. Christ…how many six foot six red heads in a green dress did a person see every day? He was quickly developing a new found respect for Stephanie. She made this look so easy. It's just a job, he told himself. He took a seat on the vacant stool on the end. Cal sauntered over to him with a huge dumb grin on his face. Please…just shoot me now, Lester thought.

"Evening, Beautiful," Cal joked. "What can I get you?"

"Cyanide," Lester muttered. Cal snorted. Tank and Ranger exchanged glances as Tank shook his head.

"How about a beer?" Lester nodded. He didn't know if he should wait to see if the guy would come near him, or should he try to get the freak's attention. He prayed the guy would come to him. Cal came back with a mug of beer. Lester raised his eyebrows. "Ladies drink from a glass." God damn smart ass! "Don't worry…you got his attention."

"What should I do?" he asked Cal.

"I could bring him another round on you?" Cal suggested. Lester nodded. That sounded like a good idea. He would never live it down if he had to make the first move. Stephanie never made the first move. She didn't need to. He got another whiff of her perfume. It reminded him that she had faith in him. He didn't want to let her down. Cal was back behind the bar after bringing Contarsky's table their drinks. He gave Lester a wink. A few minutes later, Lester felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Thanks for the whiskey, Red," Contarsky began. Lester turned to look at him. He forced a smile. Damn it! He had to speak. Should he try to change his voice? Should he just talk normal? Fuck! These are things he wished he asked about before. He decided to go for it.

"Hi," he replied in a high pitched squeak. He heard the roar of laughter in his ear piece. He cleared his throat and took it down a few octaves. "Uh...hi."

"Haven't seen you around here before. What's your name, Sweetbuns?" Sweetbuns? What the fuck, Lester groaned to himself. Did he ever use that one? Shit….maybe Steph was right.

"Uh…Les…Leslee." It was hard to concentrate on what to say with the howl of Merry Men laughing in his ear.

"Well…Leslee. Are you here by yourself? Or, are you waiting for someone?" Lester was not used to this. He was the one who _did_ the picking up. And, if a woman came on to him, they didn't do much talking. He pulled out one of Steph's lines.

"Waiting for you, Stud." Okay. Steph never said _Stud_, but what the hell? Contarsky smiled and hopped onto the stool next to Lester. He put his hand on Lester's thigh. If this guy's hand went any further north, he was going to be spitting teeth.

"What are you doing later? Have any plans?" Lester shook his head no.

"Just wanted to get out for a while." Contarsky leaned in and sniffed Lester's neck.

"HHHmmm…you smell good. What is that?" Lester winced. He read the name on the bottle earlier. _Something_ Poison.

"Uh…it's in a red bottle," he began with his brain trying to desperately scan for the name. "Oh…_Necrotic_ Poison." Lester smiled triumphantly.

Outside, Tank looked at Ranger and frowned. What the hell kind of name was that for a perfume that smelled like sex on a stick? Ranger's head dropped, and he sighed.

"_Hypnotic_ Poison...dumb ass," Ranger told him through his mic. Lester's eyes widened. He grabbed Contarsky by the shoulders.

"_Hypnotic_ Poison! Uh….it's Hypnotic Poison. Not Necrotic Poison," Lester exclaimed. Contarsky gave him a quizzical look. "Uh…I just didn't want you to get the wrong idea." Contarsky nodded.

"I don't care what the fuck the name is. It's making me hard." He took a long drink of his whiskey and nodded to Cal for a refill. "So what are you into Leslee? You suck? You receive?" Lester took a long swig of his beer. "I'd like you to suck my cock." Upon hearing that, Lester began to choke. The laughter filled his head again. There is no amount of money that Ranger can pay me to do this fucking shit again, he told himself. Contarsky pat him on the back. "You okay?" Lester coughed a few more times but nodded.

"Sorry. Went down the wrong way."

"I could make something go down the right way," Contarsky said with a sly smile.

"Tell him you want to suck his cock, Leslee," Ram interjected. More laughter. Lester gave him another tight smile.

"I bet you could handle all of me Leslee. Tell me how you like to suck cock." Lester fought with everything he had to not gag at his suggestion. Now, he fully understood why Steph would push the exit. Lester figured all her suggestions worked so far, so he was going for it. Just as Contarsky's hand had started to slide up his thigh, Lester stood up.

"Talk is cheap. I'm a man…uh…_whatever_…of action. Let's go." He jerked his head to the door and gestured for Contarsky to follow him. He avoided Hal's eyes when he clumped past him. Pushing through the front doors, he had never before been as relieved to see his team backing him up. Even more so _now_ then when they were in heavy combat. Contarsky followed Lester towards the parking lot. Tank stepped in behind them.

"Harold Contarsky?" Contarsky turned around. "You are in violation of your bond agreement. We're taking you in." Ram and Woody seemed to come out of nowhere and cuff him.

"What the fuck?" He craned his neck around to look at Lester who pulled his wig off. The dawning realization was obvious in his eyes that Lester set him up. "You ugly piece of shit!" Lester grinned.

"Suck my dick," he told him and turned to get in the SUV. Cal and Hal followed Ram, Woody, and Bobby to the police station. Lester was waiting in the back seat for Ranger and Tank.

"Suck my dick," Tank repeated when he hopped into the driver's seat then roared with laughter. Ranger smirked as he got in the passenger seat.

"I don't care _how_ much you pay me, Ranger. I am _never_ doing that shit again," Lester growled. Ranger looked at Lester through the rear view mirror.

"Santos….I asked you to do this because you have the biggest balls to handle it." Lester sat up straight.

"Really?"

"What you did takes guts. A lot of people don't give Stephanie enough credit. They thought it was all about showing cleavage and short skirts. She has a hell of a lot more guts than you guys realize," Ranger explained. Lester nodded.

"Bombshell's tough," Tank agreed. "She sure handled Mac when he was here." Lester ran a hand through his spiky hair.

"I thought I was going to blow the whole thing and belt the guy. He was running his hand up my leg." Tank and Ranger laughed. "I can't wait to get out of this crap and take a shower. Jesus. I'm never going to hear the end of this."

Ranger had Lester set for monitor duty for the afternoon. Bobby had an ACLS recertification course in the afternoon. Since Lester did so well, and really was a good sport about the whole thing, he decided to let him help Stephanie with the missing girl.

Tank barely had the SUV parked before Lester jumped out. He made a beeline for the elevator and straight to his apartment. Tank and Ranger took their time. "He really does have big balls to have done this shit tonight," Tank stated. Ranger nodded.

"You couldn't pay me enough to do it," Ranger said. His phone rang. It was the Control Room. Apparently, the other skip that they had been trying to hire a new distraction girl for was arrested on other charges. Vinnie wouldn't lose his bond, but they lost out on their money. Just as well. Tank looked at him expectantly. "Hartford got arrested. We don't have to worry about him tomorrow."

"I'll finish up the report," Tank told him. "Try and get some sleep tonight." Ranger nodded as Tank got off on 5. He hoped Stephanie was still awake. There still was the matter of a little retribution for the lipstick. Just as he suspected, she was in the office on the computer. He pulled out his phone and called her.

"Yo!"

"Yo yourself, Babe." She spun around at the sound of his voice. "Didn't want to scare you." She closed her phone and tossed it on the desk.

"How did things go?" Ranger kissed the top of her head.

"Good. Got him with no problems. Leslee got his man." She giggled. "How's the search going?" She rolled her eyes.

"I've narrowed it down to a few people that she corresponded with. I'm already through the first three months. If I can get others to look at all the postings for these people, that would help." He nodded and leaned against the desk. "Is Lester okay? He was a little nervous."

"Yeah. He said he'd never do that again. You make it look too easy, Babe." He pushed off the desk and headed for the closet to get undressed. A few minutes later he was dressed only in the black silk boxers. "Now…we have a matter that needs to be addressed."

"And, what matter would that be?" she purred giving him her best sex kitten smile. He took her hand and led her to the bed.

"Payback for the lipstick."

For the second time since coming home, Ranger slept through the night. If he had any dreams, he didn't remember them. It was 5:30. Stephanie began to stir. He pulled her closer to him and nuzzled her neck. He felt her body stiffen, and she began to groan. "You okay, Babe?" he whispered. Shaking her head, she bolted out of the bed and ran to the bathroom. He immediately got up and followed her in.

After she was convinced that there was nothing left and the dry heaves finally passed, she leaned on the cabinets and slid to the floor. Ranger continued to stroke her hair. "This sucks," she muttered as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I know, Babe," he agreed as he pulled her to him. After a few more minutes, Ranger stood up. "How about we get you back in bed, and I'll make you some tea?" She nodded and took his hand. She grabbed the counter to steady herself. "You okay?" She again just nodded.

"Just a little dizzy." He was starting to really get concerned. Her next doctor appointment was in three more weeks. He let her have this assignment. Was it too much for her? But, she had been sick even before he returned home. He didn't know what to do. He led her back to the bed. "You always take such good care of me. I should be the one taking care of you right now."

"You _have_ been taking care of me," Ranger insisted. "You help me with the things I have a hard time doing for myself. It might not seem like much to you, but it's a big deal to me. I'm not used to needing anyone." He kissed her forehead before going to make her tea.

She was sitting up waiting for him. He handed her the mug, and she sipped it slowly. "Feeling any better?" She nodded.

"Being pregnant sucks. Thank God, it's only temporary." Ranger didn't know what to say, so he just nodded.

"I won't pretend to understand what you're going through, Babe. But, we'll have a child to show for it." She snorted.

"It's probably a boy. He's being a pain in the ass already." Ranger raised an eyebrow. She started to giggle. Secretly, Ranger was hoping it was a boy. He already had a daughter. But, as long as the baby was healthy, he would be happy either way.

"We haven't really talked about our future," Ranger began.

"What about it?" she replied and looked at him nervously. Ranger was trying to feel her out about marriage.

"Well…uh…names for starters," he said. He back peddled because he felt like she was getting ready to shut down. "Baby names. Where we should live. Should we buy a house? Things like that."

"I haven't really thought that far ahead. I'm still trying to get used to the idea that I'm _having_ a baby." He nodded. "Why? Do you think we _should_ be talking about that stuff now?"

"Well…we should at least be thinking about it. You know me. I like to plan ahead." She giggled and rolled her eyes. He gave her a smile back. Time to drop the subject. At least she didn't come right out and say no marriage. "If you're feeling better, I think I'm going to hit the gym for a little while."

"Don't overdo it, Carlos," she warned him. He raised both eyebrows. "Hey, you say that to me all the time. I have to get in my turn, too, you know."

"It's been helping me sleep better. I feel like I'm getting back to being myself again."

"Is something bothering you, Carlos? You haven't been yourself since you came back."

"I'm fine, Babe. I swear. Maybe feeling a little useless." She gave him a sad smile.

"Must be hard for a work-a-holic to take it easy, huh?" Hell, she went crazy back in October, and she loved to take it easy.

"Something like that." He changed into a tee shirt and shorts. "Call me if you need anything." He kissed her before he left for the gym.

Later that morning, Ranger found Val waiting for him in his office. She paced back and forth in front of his desk with a large fish bowl in her hands. Her eyes widened when she saw him standing in the door way. "Oh…Good Morning, Carlos." He strode into his office to the other side of the desk.

"Something wrong, Val?"

"No…uh…well…yes," she stammered. He motioned for her to sit. "I was wondering… well I had an idea. Okay…look…I know you are used to having all men around. But…" Ranger smiled to himself. This was almost like talking to Stephanie when she didn't know how to say what was on her mind.

"Go on," Ranger urged. She took a deep breath and blew it out.

"The language. I mean the _foul_ language. It's inappropriate in the office." She looked at him nervously. "And, my sister is just as bad as the men!" Ranger smirked. Sometimes, Stephanie was worse.

"Do you have a solution?" he asked pointed to the fish bowl. She nodded excitedly.

"The Swear Jar," she replied proudly. "Every time someone uses bad language, he or she, has to put in…well it used to be a quarter, but with inflation maybe we should say fifty cents?" Ranger resisted the urged to thunk his head down on the desk. "And, when the jar is full, we can draw names in a hat. That person can pick what charity we can donate the money to!" Ranger raised an eyebrow. Now that was an interesting idea. The whole thing seemed asinine until the part about giving the money to charity came into it. Ranger was all for giving back to the community.

"Okay." Val bounced up and down in her seat.

"Really?"

"Yes. I like the idea about giving the money to charity. I'm sure by the end of the week, we'll have our first drawing," he told her. "We'll make the announcement at our morning meeting." Val jumped up.

"Thank you, Carlos. Not only will they learn to watch their language, but we'll be doing a good thing. It will be easier when my girls are here, and good practice for everyone after Stephanie has the baby," she added. She hurried back to her cubicle. Ranger sighed. This was certainly going to be interesting. Rangeman was growing. It was inevitable that he would have more female employees eventually. With all the sexual harassment laws, it might be a good idea to have them start cleaning up their acts. He thought about the reaction he would get.

"Fuck me," he muttered and thunked his head on the desk.

"What the fuck?" Lester found several tampons, a couple maxi-pads, a tube of Vagisil, and a subscription card for Fantasy Boy magazine in his mail slot. He looked around as if he would see the culprit, but no one was behind him. Picking up the trash can, he swiped the offensive mail inside. "Jerks," he muttered. There were a few whistles and cat calls as he made his way to the conference room.

"Good morning Leslee!" Ram teased. Bobby just shook his head.

"Leave him alone. I think it's his time of the month. You'll hurt his feelings," Bobby joked. Lester gave him the finger. The room quieted down as Ranger and Tank walked in. Stephanie hurried in soon after them. She took her usual seat between Ranger and Lester.

"Feeling better, Babe?" Ranger asked her while placing his hand on her thigh.

"Much better." She turned to Lester. "Heard it went great last night." He nodded.

"Were you sick?" She shrugged.

"The joys of being pregnant," she told him.

"Your perfume was a hit, Bombshell," Tank said. "What was the name of it again, Santos? Necrotic Poison?" Stephanie frowned. There was general laughter.

"I guess I missed something," she replied as she sipped her tea.

"Okay…so I got the name wrong. We got him, and it's over. Give it a rest!" Lester cried out.

"Alright, let's settle down. We've got a few things to go over this morning," Ranger interrupted. This quieted the room and all eyes turned on Ranger. "First, Hartford was picked up so we can scratch that case. We still need to find a distraction girl. Tank will keep looking for candidates."

"I put out another ad. We'll let you know if we get any potentials," Tank added.

"All kidding aside, Santos did a great job last night." The room erupted in laughter and applause. Stephanie gave him a hug and kissed his cheek. "Not only was it embarrassing, it was a tough thing to pull off. But, you did it with a good attitude, and you got the job done."

"That was a one-time only gig. I'm never doing that shit again!" Lester insisted.

"Bobby has his ACLS class this afternoon. Santos, you'll be backing up the men on the monitors, but will be helping Stephanie with the Rasmussen case. She'll go over what she needs to you do." Lester nodded and gave Steph a nudge with his elbow. Ranger paused and looked at the door way. Everyone followed his gaze. Val was standing in the door with the fish bowl. "Come in, Val." She walked to the head of the table and stood between Stephanie and Ranger. Hal gave her a bright smile. "I had a discussion with Val this morning about a new…uh…program we will be starting today." Stephanie looked at the fish bowl and gagged.

"No Val! Not the fucking Swear Jar!" Stephanie groaned. A slight murmur started around the table. Stephanie turned to Ranger. "You're kidding…right?"

"No, Babe. I think it's a good idea." Stephanie rolled her eyes. Val had always been the keeper of the Swear Jar. She started it with Girl Scouts, and then every other club that she was involved in.

"Well….," she stammered. Ranger nodded for her to continue. "The language here can sometimes be a little….um…unprofessional. My girls aren't here a lot, but there were a lot of words used that were inappropriate around children last time they were here. So, I asked if we could start the Swear Jar. Once the jar is full, we can draw names to see who decides what charity the money goes to." She took a deep breath. She looked around, and all eyes were on her. They were listening. "Fifty cents a word. Nights and weekend shifts will have to use the honor system. It's just that we have clients and children in the office, and we have to be more careful about the bad language."

"That is the biggest load of shit I have ever heard!" Stephanie whined. "Freedom of speech is guaranteed in the God damn Constitution ya know." She flung herself back in her chair and crossed her arms. There were a few snickers. "Carlos…you're not serious about this….are you?" He took the bowl from Val and set in on the table.

"Yes, I am. And, that's a $1.50, Babe." Stephanie's jaw dropped, and Val smiled triumphantly. Lester pulled out his wallet. He grabbed a twenty and tossed it in the bowl.

"I got you covered, Beautiful," Lester told her. "You've got a credit for thirty seven more bad words. This should at least get you through the morning." Ranger shook his head. Tank bellowed with laughter.

"Come on, Steph," Val pleaded. "It's for charity. Besides, you're going to have to start practicing anyway. You can't use that language in front of your child."

"I think it's a neat idea!" Hal piped up.

"Thank you, Hal. I thought it was a neat idea, too," Val gushed.

"This isn't fair! I've got all these extra hormones that are making me crazy. The baby is _making_ me curse. I can't help it!" Stephanie continued. More snickers.

"Babe, it's just pregnancy…not Tourette's," Ranger added softly. "Come on. Just give it a chance." Ranger immediately knew he said the wrong thing from the evil look she gave him. Oops. It wasn't Tourette's either. It was demonic possession.

"Oh _thank_ you, Carlos. It's _just_ pregnancy. I'm so glad you _explained_ it to me because I never would have figured that out on my own. You're a fucking genius! I'll just remember that when I feel like shit, and I'm heaving my guts up every morning." She turned to Lester. "How many do I have left?" He opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish. He was as stunned as everyone else at the table.

"Um…." He counted on his fingers. "Thirty five." She whirled around to face Val.

"I can't believe you did this!" She rose from her seat. "I have enough to worry about right now. And now, I have to watch my God damn mouth on top of it all! Fuck me _ten_ times!" She headed for the door. "I have work to do, and I'll be by myself so I don't have to worry about what the hell I say!"

"Thirty-two!" Lester called after her. Val chased after her.

"Stephanie! It's for a good cause! You'll see. You'll get used to it!" Val pleaded with her on the way out.

"I guess Bombshell's having a bad day…huh?" Tank said turning to Ranger. Ranger thunked his head on the table.

"Somebody just please shoot me," he mumbled. He sat back upright, reclined back in his chair, and sighed. "If no one has anything else, we're done."

Stephanie ran back up to 7 to grab a few things. "I can't believe that stupid Swear Jar is following me around," she muttered to herself. "Of all the most ridiculous, stupid fucking ideas! This is going to cost me a fortune! I'll wind up _paying_ to work here." She attached the leash to Ivy. She wanted to check out a few places that were mentioned on the Embrace the Night website. First, she needed to stop by the Bonds Office and drop off some paperwork. The elevator descended, and she realized that she had to stop back on 5 to pick up the body receipts. "Shit!" She was in no mood to face anyone again, but she didn't have a choice. The doors opened, and she and Ivy hurried over to Ranger's office. Breathing a sigh of relief that he wasn't sitting at his desk, she grabbed the file and ran out.

Ranger saw Stephanie rush past Tank's office. "Babe!" he called after her. The elevator doors closed before he could catch up with her. "Shit!"

"That's fifty cents, Boss," Hal told him with a smile. Hal ran over to Val's desk to get the Swear Jar for him. Ranger closed his eyes and counted to ten. He only had himself to blame. He agreed to the stupid fucking thing. He pulled a dollar out of his wallet and slammed it in the bowl. Hal frowned.

"Sorry, Ranger. There's no change in the jar yet…." Ranger cut him off.

"I'll take the credit, Hal," he replied through gritted teeth. This was going to be a long fucking day!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Ivy resisted going near the car. She pulled against the leash and started to whine. "Ivy…just get over it. You're getting in this car with me! Now!" she yelled at her. She turned to open the door, and that's when she first saw the white #2 on the door. Her jaw dropped. What the hell is this, she asked herself.

All eyes were on the monitor watching her reaction. Tank and Ranger walked up behind Hal and Junior to see what was going on. When Stephanie started to cry, Ranger muttered, "Shit." Hal opened his mouth, but Ranger stopped him with a sharp look. "I have a credit, Hal." Hal looked sheepish and nodded. Ranger was torn. His first instinct was to run down there and comfort her. But, he knew she was in a foul mood over the damn Swear Jar and wanted to give her some space. The latter idea was safer, too.

Stephanie wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She knew they were probably watching her, and she embarrassed herself once again. She just needed to get out of there for a while. Ivy finally relented and got in the car. She started it up and created another black cloud that filled the garage. At least it would give her some cover from the cameras. She pulled out and headed for the Bonds Office. Suddenly remembering that she only had crackers that morning, she decided to swing by the Tasty Pasty for some doughnuts. Sugar always lightened her mood. And, her mood sure did need a boost.

Of course, the car backfired and smoked poured into the bakery. Dejuan told her this would eventually stop. She prayed that he was right. It happened again in front of the Bonds Office. Stephanie opened the door, and Ivy hid behind Connie. Connie rubbed her head and pulled a Scooby Snack out of her drawer.

"Jeez, Steph," Connie began, "Lula wasn't kiddin'. What's with the #2?" Stephanie dropped the file and box of doughnuts on the desk and shrugged.

"I have no idea," she sighed and grabbed a doughnut before flopping on the couch.

"It's 'cause the car's a piece of shit," Lula told her. "You know…#2." Stephanie's eyes widened.

"How do you know that?" she demanded. Lula crammed a chocolate doughnut in her mouth.

"Js a gsss," she mumbled with a mouthful.

"What?" Stephanie and Connie asked in unison. Lula swallowed.

"Just a guess."

"You know who did that…don't you?" Lula shook her head.

"All I know is I got Tank's number, and we're going out next weekend. We woulda gone out tomorrow, but Ranger's gonna be out of town. Where's he goin'?"

"We're going to his parents' for dinner in Newark," she explained. Lula grabbed another doughnut and sat next to Stephanie.

"But, it's still okay, White Girl. I have one week to prepare myself for that big ol' beautimus hunk a black man. Oh…I just give myself chills just thinkin' about it." Lula put an arm around Steph. "And, I got you to thank for it all." Stephanie smiled.

"You're welcome. You're both great people. I'm glad for the two of you." Stephanie sighed and dropped her head back on the couch.

"What's eatin' you today? You seem to be a little…uh…bitchy?" Connie asked.

"I think I'm losing my mind," she told them. "My emotions are all over the place lately. I'm getting upset over stupid shit. Oh…and my sister comes up with this stupid ass idea of the Swear Jar. We have to put fifty cents in the jar every time we curse. Okay…we're donating the money to charity. I can go along with that. But, I'm emotionally unstable right now, and don't want to have to watch my language too!" Connie and Lula nodded in agreement.

"Damn…I'd probably go broke workin' there," Lula added.

"So, how much did it cost you so far?" Connie asked.

"Well…nothing. Lester put in a twenty for me, and I still have about a thirty something curse credit," she admitted. The girls laughed. Connie glanced out the window at the car again.

"And, Ranger is okay with you driving that…._car_?" She was a little surprised. Stephanie nodded while Lula shook her head. Stephanie glared at Lula.

"It's nobody else's decision but mine," she told them. "It's my car. I bought it. I'll drive it. I mean…I don't understand what the big deal is? It's just an old car." Lula and Connie smiled at her.

"You're right, Steph," Connie conceded. "As long as it runs and is safe to drive, it's your car."

"Thank you, Connie!" Vinnie came out of the office.

"Don't we have work to do? Are you just going to sit around and eat all day?" he griped.

"I only have one FTA, and he's not due yet," Lula insisted.

"Well…I'm not paying youz to sit around!" he told them.

"I'm working on Rangeman body receipts," Connie retorted.

"And, you ain't payin' me _shit _right now," Lula muttered.

"Well, why don't you get off your ass and get that FTA?"

"And, why don't you go back in yo office? I think that duck is gettin' lonely," Lula growled. Vinnie huffed but retreated back in his office. "He is such a dick!" Stephanie and Connie agreed.

"So tell me…," Stephanie began, "what do you and Tank have planned for your date?"

"Hours and hours of Wild Kingdom sex!" Stephanie clapped her hands over her ears.

"No! Please don't tell me things like that! Those guys are like my brothers! That's so gross!" Lula laughed.

"I'll be like Lula of the jungle swinging on that big ol' hunk a love's vine!" Lula joked. Connie chuckled. Stephanie groaned.

"I _so_ did not need to hear that," she muttered.

Hearing a knock on the door, Ranger looked up to see Hal. "I haven't used any more foul language, Hal," he sighed. Hal furrowed his brow.

"Uh…that's not what I wanted to tell you," Hal began. "I wanted to let you know that Steph's still at the Tasty Pasty. She's been there for almost two hours now. She's never there _that_ long." He nodded to Hal and grabbed his cell phone. He got her voice mail.

"Damn it." He assumed she was still angry about that morning, but he hated when she didn't take his calls. He got to the door of his office, and his eyes met Val's. She held up the jar expectantly. He jammed his hand in his back pocket to retrieve his wallet. He tossed a five in the jar. Before she could make change he told her, "Just leave it in there. I'm sure I'll use it before the day is up." He didn't have the right to get angry about it. He agreed to it. It's for charity, he told himself. Even that didn't help. He marched over to the monitor station. "Who's in the area?" Hal scanned the board.

"Ram and Woody."

"Get them over there now," Ranger ordered.

After polishing off all the doughnuts, Stephanie pulled herself off the couch and stretched. "I have a few places I want to check out before lunch, so I better get going." Lula raised her eyebrows.

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"I'm trying to track down a missing girl. She's been communicating with vampires on this website. They mentioned a few places that they hang out. I just want to see what they're like." Connie and Lula exchanged frowns.

"Uh…Steph? Did you just say…_vampires_?" Connie asked.

"I don't mean like Dracula! It's just a bunch of weirdoes who _think_ they're vampires. They drink blood and wear black. Stuff like that. They mentioned a couple of clubs, and I want to check them out. Maybe go there at night or something. See what I can find out," she explained. Lula jumped off the couch and grabbed her purse.

"Well, I'm going with you. That sounds a whole lot more interestin' than sitting around doin' nothin'. No offense, Connie. Maybe you can help me catch my skip later? This guy don't like to wash his nasty ass, and your car would be perfect." Stephanie rolled her eyes. She knew Ranger didn't want her going after FTAs, but he didn't say anything about not helping Lula. She would let Lula grab the guy, and she would just do the driving. Yeah…that would work. Maybe. Well…probably not.

"Okay. You can come. Ivy?" Ivy crawled under Connie's desk. "Ivy!"

"She hates your car," Lula told her. Ivy slowly crawled out from under the desk.

"No shit," Steph muttered. She clipped the leash back on her collar. "Come on, Ivy." Reluctantly, Ivy got up and trotted after them. Whining the entire time, she got into the car without fighting Stephanie this time. Lula's face bunched up as she sniffed the air.

"Damn! What _is_ that smell? Did you check this for dead bodies?"

"You don't have to come with me you know!"

"I know. But, I can't even roll down this damn window. The handle's still broke!" Stephanie started up the car. Connie and Vinnie were soon choking on the smoke that seeped into the office.

Ram and Woody drove past the Tasty Pastry, but didn't see the #2 mobile. Woody grabbed the mic. "Hal? Are you sure Steph's supposed to be here? The car's not here."

Hal's voice boomed into the speaker. "Are you sure her car's not there? That's what the GPS says." Woody almost made a sarcastic comment. Like the #2 mobile would be hard to miss. Ram parked the SUV and jumped out. He searched around the gutter in front of the shop until he spied what he was looking for. He held up the GPS unit.

"Uh…Ram found the unit in the gutter. I guess it fell off the car. Should we drive around looking for her?"

Hal turned to Ranger who was standing behind him. Again, Ranger was in a bad spot. Stephanie didn't know about the GPS units he put in her cars. She was already pissed off about the Swear Jar. She wasn't taking his calls. If she found out he had someone follow her, it might get ugly. He equated this situation to poking a hornets' nest with a stick. _But_…..she hadn't been feeling well, she was pregnant with their child, and she was driving that God awful piece of shit car that he despised more than a prostate exam. "Do it." In his mind, he could see the hornets getting ready to attack. He pulled out his cell phone and hit speed dial #3. "Hi, Ella. I was wondering if you could make Stephanie a chocolate cake for tonight."

Ram drove past the Bonds Office. No sign of the #2 mobile. "Maybe Connie's seen her? She may know where she went," Woody suggested. Ram pulled into the first available spot. Connie looked up as they came in.

"Good morning, Gentlemen," she announced. It was obvious they were looking for Stephanie. She wasn't going to make it easy for them.

"Hi Connie. How's it going?" Ram asked.

"Fine. What can I do for you? We don't have any pending files for Rangeman." Ram and Woody danced around a bit. Woody elbowed Ram. Ram shot Woody a dirty look.

"Um…we were just wondering….uh…if you had seen Stephanie," Woody stammered.

"Oh?" Connie replied innocently. "Why is that? Is there a problem?"

"No problem," Ram assured her. "Just wondering." They stared at each other for another minute before Connie decided to let them off the hook.

"She left with Lula not too long ago. Steph said she had some places to check out, and Lula needed help with a skip," she explained. Now they exchanged nervous glances.

Ram knew that Ranger didn't want Stephanie going after any skips. Ranger was going to be pissed. He pushed Woody towards the door. "Thanks. If you talk to Steph, tell her that Ram and Woody are looking for her and to call us, okay?" Connie nodded. Ram and Woody jumped into the SUV. "Shit. What the hell are we going to tell Ranger? He's going to have a fucking stroke if he finds out the Steph is going after a skip with Lula." Woody ran his hands over his face.

"Well…we don't have to tell him that," he replied. "We can just tell him she's out with Lula, but we don't know where. It's not like we'd be lying to Ranger. We really don't know where they went." Ram groaned. He pulled out his cell phone and called Stephanie. The call rolled to her voice mail.

"Damn it," he muttered. He decided not to leave a message. After a minute, he turned to Woody. "Okay. We'll say she was at the Bonds Office, and she's somewhere with Lula. Then, we'll wait for instructions."

Ranger returned to 7 to get a file he had left on his desk. He tried to call Stephanie again. He was hoping that she calmed down after getting her doughnut fix. He heard her cell ringing in his office. At first, he was relieved. She hadn't answered his calls because she had forgotten her phone again. "Babe," he muttered. He then became a little annoyed that she didn't have her phone. Especially now. Ram reported that Stephanie was at the Bonds Office and was where abouts unknown with Lula. He ordered them to resume their regular rounds. God only knows where they were. He called Tank. "Do you have Lula's number?" Tank gave him her cell number, and he immediately called her.

"Hello?"

"Lula…this is Ranger. Is Stephanie with you?" He heard the scrapping of her hand over the mouth piece.

"Shit, White Girl…it's Batman! What do I do?" Lula said to Stephanie. Ranger sighed and waited for Stephanie's response.

"What is he doing call you?" came Stephanie's reply.

"I don't know. He asked for you."

"Why didn't he call me on my phone?"

"Girl, I don't know. Do you want me to tell him that you not here?" There was a muffled reply and more scrapping and hissing sounds. He held the phone away from his ear. "Why you slowing down?"

"I'm not slowing down. It's doing that by itself. It's like the gas pedal's not working right." There was a pause.

"Babe?" Ranger called into the phone.

"Shit! The gas pedal thing is crooked. Lula, can you crawl down there, and stick it back on that button thing?" Ranger groaned.

"Babe!" he yelled into the phone.

"God damn, I hate this car! Not only does it smell, but shit keeps breakin'." He heard Lula grunt and groan. "There…try it now."

"Yea! You fixed it. You can get up now."

"BABE!"

"Shit!" Lula yelled.

"What's the matter? You can get up now."

"I can't. My weave is caught on something. God dammit….I'm stuck. Pull this mother fuckin' car over and help me up!" Ranger tried to be patient as he heard Lula continue to rant and rave. Apparently, Stephanie must have pulled over and turned the car off, because he heard the backfire then the two of them coughing on the smoke.

"There you go."

"Where the hell is my phone? Oh shit! Batman was on the phone! Girl…you in trouble now!" Ranger then heard more static and hissing sounds before he finally heard Stephanie's voice.

"Carlos?" She heard him sigh and winced.

"You left your phone in the apartment, Babe."

"Oh…sorry to keep you waiting. Lula dropped the phone."

"What happened with the gas pedal?"

"Oh…it was nothing. Lula fixed it. Did you need something?" He groaned to himself.

"I was just calling to see how you were. I didn't like that you left the office upset." She smiled. She was still a little pissed about the stupid Swear Jar, but she was a lot less emotional about it.

"I refuse to answer that question as any response I make may affect my bank account," she replied. Ranger smiled.

"If it's any consolation….I'm in for $6.00 already, and it's not even lunch time." Now, she smiled. "Are you okay, Babe? I've been worried about you all morning."

"I'm okay. You just don't know how that stupid Swear Jar has been following me around all my life. It was a pain in the ass when I _had_ control over my emotions. Now…forget it! Look….I'll talk to you later. I really want to get this done today since we'll be at your parents' tomorrow," she explained.

"Okay…don't forget Lester today. Why don't you swing by and pick him up at noon? I'll even pay for lunch," Ranger offered.

"I thought he was on monitors this afternoon?"

"I changed my mind. I'll back the monitors up if needed. I'd feel better if you had someone with you today, okay?" She rolled her eyes.

"That's not really fair, Carlos. I can take care of myself…._and_ the baby. But, now you threw food into the mix. How can I resist?" Ranger grinned.

"Pick him up out front. I'll give him money for lunch…and your phone!" He disconnected before she changed her mind.

"Was Batman mad?" Lula asked. Stephanie shook her head.

"No, but we have to pick up Lester at noon. Carlos is treating us to lunch. Lester can help with your skip."

"Lunch on Batman? Now you're talkin'," Lula agreed then rubbed her head. "This damn car almost pulled my weave out." Stephanie sighed.

Ranger called Lester. He told him that he would be with Stephanie in the afternoon. "Swing by my office to get her phone and the money for lunch. She had a problem with the gas pedal. I want you to check that out," he ordered. He stopped by Tank's office. "We need to make that car disappear. I want it done as soon as possible. Maybe it could get stolen while we're at my parents' tomorrow." Tank frowned.

"How is she going to buy that her car was stolen out of the monitored Rangeman garage?" Tank inquired. Ranger shook his head.

"I don't know yet, but we have twenty four hours to come up with a plan. I don't care if the car gets stolen, blown up, catches fire….whatever. I have enough things on my mind right now. I can't add worrying about Steph driving that car to the list," Ranger told him. Tank gestured to the empty chair in front of his desk.

"Do you want to talk about what's been bothering you?" Ranger raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Man. You wander around the building every night like a fucking zombie…."

"That's fifty cents, Tank," Ranger told him and gave him a dismissive wave. Tank reached into his wallet and pulled out a dollar.

"Okay…play it your way. But, you know you can talk to me." Tank rose and patted his shoulder. He walked over to toss the dollar in the Swear Jar. It was already one forth full, and it wasn't even noon yet. Ranger followed behind him.

"I'm fine, Tank. But, I'll keep that in mind," Ranger said as he went back into his office and closed the door. No, he wasn't fine. But, how could he talk to his best friend about what was bothering him when he really didn't understand it himself? So far, the problems he identified were impending fatherhood, the crash, retirement from the military, Jeanne Ellen's betrayal and confession that she was pregnant with his child, and not being able to function at 100%. He realized that he felt like a huge part of his life was over. He could never admit that to Stephanie. Even if he tried to explain it to her, he knew she would take it the wrong way.

He thought back to their conversation from that morning. He brought up their future. He was grateful that she hadn't spoken out against marriage. It just dawned on him that she didn't mention moving out again either. Thank God for that! While he was still in the hospital, she told him that she planned to move back into her apartment as soon as Val found a place for her and the girls. After he mentioned the idea of a house, she didn't correct him about her decision to move back. He smirked at the memory of the look on her face when he told her that he would move in with her. He hoped that she was finally getting the picture that he was in her life to stay. Not because of the baby, or that he felt obligated to her. He wanted her. Ranger sighed and looked back at his computer screen. As far as he was concerned, his life _would_ be over if he ever lost her.

Stephanie and Lula pulled up to a club on Broad Street called Flux. It was an old converted church. It was closed. Stephanie jumped out to read the hours. It was open every night from 7 pm to 3am. She hopped back into the car. "It's only open eight hours a day," she told Lula. "They must do alright to stay in business. I've never been in there…have you?" Lula shook her head.

"Uh uh. I remember when it was a real church. That was what….about five years ago?" Stephanie bit her lower lip.

"I think you're right. I couldn't find out much about it on line. Would you go there with me?"

"Would I have to dress up like a freak?" Stephanie looked down at Lula's outfit. Bright yellow spandex pants, white faux fur calf high boots, and a red and white sweater that fit tighter than Ranger's shirts.

"No. But, I think wearing black might help you to blend in a little. Remember, we'd be undercover and don't want to draw attention to ourselves," Stephanie told her diplomatically. Lula thought for a minute.

"I guess I could help you. Yeah…I _will_ help you. Don't worry, Lula knows how to dress to impress! We'll be like Cagney and Lacy, Thelma and Louise….." She trailed off. Then, she and Stephanie broke out laughing. "Okay maybe more like Laverne and Shirley. Yeah….count me in White Girl." They slapped palms in a high five.

"As much as I'd like to check the place out tonight, I don't know if I'll have the energy. This place was mentioned a lot. But, if I remember right, Monday seemed to be the most popular meeting time. Like who goes out on a Monday night? I told you these were weirdoes," Stephanie explained. She glanced at her watch. "Let's go pick up Lester. I'm getting hungry."

"Lead the way White Girl."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Lester was sitting on the bench outside the main entrance. He liked working with Stephanie and Lula. It was never dull. He heard the car before he actually saw it. Stephanie pulled up to the curb and opened the door. Ivy shot out of the car and hid behind Lester. "Ivy!" She jammed the car into park and turned the key. Even though he knew it was coming, instincts took over as he dove to the sidewalk. The smog cloud soon followed. Ranger was right. This car had to go.

Choking, coughing, and waving the smoke away, Stephanie stepped out of the car to get Ivy. "Damn girl!" Lula choked. "Let her stay home. She's afraid of this mother fucker, and I don't blame her. This car tried to rip out my weave." Hal appeared at the door.

"I'll take her for you, Steph," Hal offered. Stephanie gave him a quizzical look but Hal just pointed to the camera. Big Brother strikes again, she thought.

"Thanks, Hal. Can you make sure her water bowl is filled?" Hal nodded and led Ivy inside. Lester gave her the phone.

"Ranger gave me instructions to give this to you the second I saw you," he laughed. She rolled her eyes.

"Come on. We're hungry." She held the seat up so Lester could climb in the back. There was a loud crunching sound.

"What the fuck?" Lester muttered.

"What happened?" Stephanie demanded. Lula twisted herself around to peer into the back seat.

"My foot went through the floor," Lester told her. Stephanie's jaw dropped.

"What did you do to it?" Her hands flew to her hips.

"I didn't do anything, Beautiful. This car is rusted out. Look!" He pulled away the floor mat to reveal a large hole. "Um…maybe we should take a Rangeman vehicle." Stephanie huffed and got back in the car.

"Just cover the hole with the floor mat. We'll be fine," she replied. Lula looked at Lester and shrugged. "This car is old, Les. There's going to be a problem or two with it."

"I think there's a lot more than a problem or two," he muttered under his breath. She pulled back onto the road. Lester got a whiff of a bad odor. He began to take bigger sniffs.

Lula heard Lester in the backseat and caught his stare in the rear view mirror. "What the hell is that smell?" he asked.

"What smell?" Stephanie asked. Lula twisted herself around again to face Lester.

"What are you looking at me for?" she demanded.

"Let's just say we have a _history_ together," he implied. Lula was getting ready to go into rhino mode.

"Oh _no_ he didn't!" Lula exclaimed. "Oh…you smell somethin' bad and automatically you think it's Lula? I don't believe this! If I wasn't such a mother fuckin' lady, I would smack the ever-lovin' shit out of you right now!" Remembering the little closet incident, Stephanie started to giggle. "Damn…a girl just breaks a _little_ wind one time…"

"A _little_ wind? Your _ass _exploded on my leg! I was in the military with beer drinking guys who _prided_ themselves on their farts, and none of them ever smelled as horrific as you did!" Lester fired back. "And, it wasn't just one time either."

"That's it!" Lula yelled as she launched herself over the back seat and onto Lester.

"OOOOhff!" Lester groaned as the full weight of Lula's body hit him. Stephanie slammed on the brakes. Lester and Lula crashed into the back of the front bench seat as the bench tilted forward. Stephanie's face squished into the windshield and banged her chest against the steering wheel. The car screeched to a halt and the bench seat fell back into place. "What the fuck?"

"I hate this car," Lula mumbled. Lester removed his face from between Lula's giant breasts. Stephanie hugged her chest.

"Uh…Steph?" Lester began.

"Yeah?"

"Did you know you have a dead squirrel under your seat?"

"Um…no. Maybe that's what that weird smell was?" Lula smacked the back of Lester's head.

"See….I told you it wasn't me!" She sat back against the seat glaring at Lester the entire time. Lester used the floor mat to grab the squirrel's tail and tossed it through the hole in the floor.

"Are you two going to behave now? I'm hungry," Stephanie scolded them.

"I really think we should get a Rangeman truck, Beautiful. The screws to the front seat are rusted out," Lester prodded. With a backfire to emphasis her point, she stepped on the gas and continued to the diner. Lester glanced over at Lula. Lula just shrugged.

The diner was busy, but they didn't have to wait too long for a table. Since they all knew what they wanted, the waitress took their orders after they were seated. A young boy in his late teens was sitting across the aisle from them with an older man. He leaned over and asked Stephanie, "Are you a Rusty Wallace fan?"

"Who?" she asked.

"Rusty Wallace. The NASCAR driver. You have a #2 on your car," he explained. Lester and Lula snorted. Stephanie smiled. It was apparent the boy was mentally retarded.

"No, someone painted it on my car as a joke," she replied. Stephanie elbowed Lester in the side.

"Tommy, don't go botherin' the lady," the older gentleman told him.

"I'm not, Grandpa. That's a really cool car!" Tommy insisted.

"He's not bothering me," Stephanie added. "I'm Stephanie. This is Lula and Lester." Tommy immediately jumped up and shook their hands.

"Hi Stephie. I really like your car. It's really cool. I like cars. I help my Grandpa fix them all the time. If anything is wrong with your car, I can fix it for you," he exclaimed. He looked at what Stephanie and Lester were wearing. "Are you guys twins? You're dressed alike." Stephanie and Lester looked at each other and laughed.

"No," Stephanie responded giggling. "We work both work for Rangeman. It's a security company."

"Yeah…their boss is Batman!" Lula added. Tommy's eyes grew wider.

"You work for Batman? For real?"

"His name is Ranger. Some people…" Lester glanced at Lula. "…call him Batman because he wears black and drives black cars." Tommy smiled and looked at his Grandfather.

"That is too cool! My name is Tommy, and this is my Grandpa," he said. "Grandpa owns a car shop."

"More like a garage with a junk yard in the back. I'm Tom Barnwell. Sorry…but he really loves cars," his grandfather explained. "We just moved here about a month ago. I took over Romano's. That's a 66 Nova…isn't it?" Stephanie nodded. "I'm surprised it still runs. Older Chevys have a rust problem."

"No shit," Lester muttered.

"Yeah…it's got _some_ rust, but it's not all that bad," Stephanie agreed. Tom caught the expression on Lester's face and chuckled. Stephanie rolled her eyes. "The car runs…that's what's important."

"That's not all that's important, Beautiful. How much do you know about cars and car safety?" he asked her.

"Uh…I know a lot about cars. You turn the key and drive it. Sometimes…they blow up or get hit by a train…no, hit by a bus _then_ a train…or someone drops a dumpster on, or they roll down a hill. Am I missing anything?" she answered sarcastically.

"And, the reason you were able to walk away from that last one is because the car was safe. It had airbags, a roll bar, and seats that were _anchored_ to the floor," Lester pointed out. Tom chuckled again.

"Doesn't sound like you have a lot of luck with cars, Young Lady," Tom joked.

"Mr. Barnwell…that is the understatement of the century. That's why I can't have a nice car!"

"Stephie…did one of your cars really get hit by a train?" Tommy asked her excitedly.

"Yes it did," Lula interrupted. "I was there for the whole thing. Some mother fucker stole a bus and smashed it into her car. Then, that asshole pushed it down the street to the train tracks. A train came along and WHAM!!!!"

"Whoa! That must have been too cool!"

"Damn straight!" Lula agreed. Tom handed Stephanie a business card.

"I do body work too. You sound like a potential customer," Tom laughed. Tommy got all excited.

"Yeah, Stephie. We can fix your cars. Grandpa is the best, and I can help him!" Stephanie couldn't help but smile. Tommy was such a sweet kid.

"I'll bet you can fix my car. Lester broke it on the way over here." Tommy frowned at Lester.

"Why did you break Stephie's car. That wasn't nice."

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Lester insisted. "My foot went through the floor board in the back seat. That piece of shit has more than _some_ rust." The waitress brought their food.

"Come on, Tommy. Time to get back to work. Let these people eat their lunch. It was nice meeting all of you."

"Yeah…you gotta come see us, Stephie! Bring your car!"

"I promise, Tommy," Stephanie told him. Tom led his grandson to the register to pay for their meal.

"I guess you found yourself a new fan," Lula joked.

"Yeah…_Stephie_," Lester added.

"Hey, he is probably the only person that appreciates my car."

"That's because he's a retart," Lula mumbled. Lester snorted.

"That's mean! He's a nice kid that loves working with his Grandpa. You guys are just upset because there is another human being that doesn't think my car is so bad," Stephanie insisted.

"This is for you, Stephie." Tommy handed her a single red rose. They had them for sale at the register. Stephanie gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Tommy. That was really sweet!"

"You're welcome, Stephie. I gotta go now!" He ran to catch up with his grandfather.

"What is it with you, White Girl? You attract crazies, stalkers, serial killers, love sick-masturbatin' bitches, and now retarts like flies to shit!" Lester choked on his food. Stephanie crossed her arms. "Well? It's true!" Lester caught his breath and shook with laughter.

"He's a nice kid, Lula. Don't put him in the same category as all those others!" She stuffed a handful of French fries into her mouth.

"Looks like Ranger's got some competition," Lester added and elbowed her.

"Sure…everyone pick on the pregnant girl," Stephanie muttered. The waitress was serving the table behind them. God only knows what they ordered, but the smell was very strong. She forced a few more bites before her stomach rolled. Covering her mouth with her hand, she bolted towards the bathroom. Lester started to get up to follow her, but Lula waved him down.

"Shit…are you gonna follow her in the ladies' room? Let her toss her cookies in peace," Lula instructed as she dug into her lunch. "Women don't want men watchin' them vomic." Lester frowned.

"Vomic?"

"Yeah…vomic…you know…ralph…puke…" Lula explained. Lester waved his hands frantically.

"Alright…alright. I get it. Then maybe you should check on her. Make sure she's okay," Lester suggested. He was concerned because he knew she had been sick that morning, too. Lula scrunched up her face.

"I'm eatin' here. I ain't gonna go watch someone vomic." Lester sighed, but got up to go check on her. "Suit yourself."

Lester put an ear up to the door to the ladies room. It was quiet. Hopefully, she was done. He rapped lightly on the door. "Steph?" The door open and Stephanie emerged. "Are you okay?" She nodded.

"I thought I was going to….uh…you know. But, I didn't," she explained. "I don't think I can go back to the table. Whatever those people next to us are eating smells so bad it's making me sick." Lester nodded and put an arm around her. "Maybe you can get my stuff wrapped up to go, and I'll finish it later." Lester stared at her a second longer before answering.

"Okay," he told her. "We'll meet you outside." She gave him that heart melting smile.

About fifteen minutes later, Lester and Lula climbed into the #2mobile. "Here White Girl," Lula told her as she handed her a bag.

"Thanks," Stephanie replied. "Do you have the address of your skip?" Lula pulled a file out of her bag. She showed her the address. "Oh…I know where that is."

"Beautiful, are you sure you want to do this?" Lester asked. "You know Ranger doesn't want you going after skips." Stephanie sighed.

"This isn't Rangeman business, Les. I am fully capable of making decisions on my own thankyouverymuch!" She started up the car and smoked up the parking lot. Waving the smoke from their faces, she pulled out of the lot with a shot gun blast from the tailpipe. Coughing, Steph said, "Didn't Dejuan say this would stop after a while?" Lula gave her a dumb look.

"I told you not to buy this piece of shit." Stephanie was going to argue but decided against it. Nobody seemed to understand. It's not like she was in love with this stupid car either. It was just transportation to get around.

It only took about ten minutes to get to the skip's house. Stephanie told them she would wait in the car while they grabbed him. Lester tousled her hair and squeezed her shoulder as he got out. She munched on her cold fries while Lester helped Lula. They caught him sleeping on his couch and had him cuffed before he woke up. Lula was right. The man didn't have a working relationship with soap or deodorant. Lula opened her door and held the seat up so Lester could guide him into the back seat. _Cah-runch! _Stephanie twisted her body and craned her neck around to see what happened.

"What the hell is wrong with this car?" the smelly skip growled.

"What did you do to my car?" Stephanie yelled. Lester pushed him into the seat and looked at the floor board. There was a matching hole on this side.

"Uh…he went through the floor, Beautiful. The rust was pretty bad back here," Lester told her gently.

"You broke my car, too?" she cried.

"This car is a piece of shit, Lady," he retorted.

"Well then it matches how you smell," she shot back.

Lula got in, Lester shut the door behind her, and walked over to the other side. He opened Stephanie's door and slid in the back as she squeezed against the steering wheel to allow the seat to tilt forward. Giving the man her best death glare, she turned around and started the car. More smoke was able to fill up the inside of the car due to the two holes in the floor. When the smoke cleared a little, Stephanie put the car in drive and it sputtered and bucked a few times before cooperating.

"Uh….should we peddle our feet to help get this rust bucket moving? This fucking car is like the God damn Flintstones' mobile," the skip snidely said. Lester turned his head to the side so Stephanie couldn't see him laugh.

"The Flintstones' mobile would have been a newer model," Lula chimed in. Stephanie stomped on the gas with another backfire and headed for the police station. She tried to stay in a Ranger-like zone on the way over there. She was getting tired of all the comments about her car. It was just an old car. Get over it! Once they dropped off Mr. Stinky, she would take Lula back to the Bond's Office, and then head back home for a long nap.

Ranger looked up as Tank entered his office. He knew something was wrong by the look on his face. Tank must have read his mind because he waved him off and told him, "She's fine. I just got a call reminding us about an awards ceremony at the American Legion Wednesday." Ranger raised an eyebrow. Tank settled into the chair opposite Ranger's desk. "While you were gone, we got notification that Rangeman was getting a community service award at their annual banquet. I accepted, and we were given ten tickets for the dinner. I had forgotten all about it with everything that went on. They just called to confirm. We need to be there." Ranger nodded. "I hadn't gotten a chance to decide who was going. Since you're back, you really need to be there. So, that leaves us eight spots to fill." Of course, he and Stephanie would go.

"Pull the schedule to see who is off that night." Ranger knew that Tank had just asked out Lula. "We would have six spots open with you and Lula going." Tank grinned.

"You don't mind me taking Lula?" Ranger pursed his lips and shook his head.

"She's good friends with Steph. I'm sure she'd be glad to have some female company." Tank handed Ranger the invitation. It was a black tie event. Of course, Stephanie would insist that she didn't have anything to wear. He would give her his credit card to go buy a new dress. He usually hated these things. But, this was an award from fellow veterans, and his business depended on the community. Actually, this would be a nice night out for the both of them. "Just figure out who is off duty and offer the spots based on seniority." Tank nodded and headed back to his office.

Stephanie turned the corner and saw there were several police officers out front. Swell, she muttered to herself. Probably because Lester was in the car as all Rangeman employees always seemed to find a great parking spot, there was an empty place at the curb in front of the main entrance. Shit, she thought. Big Dog, Carl, and Eddie, along with several other police officers she knew were out front. They had all eyes trained on the car as she pulled into the spot. One…two…three….BANG! Before the area could be shrouded in smoke, half of the police officers dropped to the ground, and the other half drew their pistols.

"Shots fired!"

"Don't move!"

"You're surrounded!" The fear of being shot kept them inside the car until the smoke cleared. When they could finally see again, there were about fifty cops around the car with their weapons drawn. Well…maybe ten. Stephanie glanced over to see Morelli leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed and smile wide.

"Jeez Steph!" Eddie groaned. "We didn't know it was you." He opened the door for her and helped her out. Lester squeezed past to help Lula get Mr. Stinky out of the car.

"Yeah, I just got this car a couple of days ago," she explained. Eddie furrowed his brow and looked the car up and down in disgust.

"Why?" he asked her. She crossed her arms and began to pout. Morelli came up behind her and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head.

"Hi Cupcake," he breathed into her ear. "How've you been?" She leaned her head back against his chest.

"I'm okay."

"How's Ranger?"

"Better. He's getting a little stir crazy not being able to use his shoulder yet. How have you been? Haven't heard from you in over a week." He looked the car over.

"Tied up on a case. This is really your car?" She nodded. "Ranger's letting you drive this thing?" He glanced over, and from the look of death, he realized he touched on a nerve. "Uh…I just meant that I thought he would have gotten you a new car."

"I can take care of myself, Joe. I made the decision to get an older car. So when something happens to it, it won't really matter," she told him. Morelli smiled at her.

"Somehow, I understand that logic." He walked around the car to get a better look. "Are those holes in the floor in the back?" She rolled her eyes and grabbed Morelli by the hand leading him back on the sidewalk. Eddie opened his mouth to add something but snapped it shut from the look on Stephanie's face. "So….what's with the #2?"

"Cuz it's a piece of shit," Lula added as she walked up with Lester. Morelli and Eddie howled with laughter.

"Do you people think that I'm stupid?" she yelled at them. She reached the breaking point. The laughing immediately came to a halt. "Don't you think I can't _see_ that this car is a piece of shit? That was the whole purpose of buying it. I don't appreciate being called stupid!" Huffing, she stomped around to the driver's side and threw herself in the car. Morelli looked questioningly at Lester. Lester shrugged.

"Just hold your ears," Lester told him as Stephanie started up the car. BANG! The cloud enveloped the car, and they began to choke. Morelli fanned the smoke from his face.

"Does this happen a lot?" Lester nodded. Morelli shook his head. "Ranger is actually letting her drive this thing?" Lester smirked and nodded again.

"We're working on a plan to help this car disappear," Lester explained. Morelli gave the car another once over.

"Let me know if I can help." Lester nodded and got back in the car.

Stephanie was quiet on the drive back to the Bond's Office. "Thanks for the ride, White Girl. Guess this car came in handy after all. I'll call you about Monday," Lula told her as she got out of the car. Lester slid out of the back and into the seat vacated by Lula.

"What's Monday?" he asked.

"Nothing much. Just plans with Lula," Stephanie told him with a sigh. Lester shifted in his seat.

"Are you alright?" She nodded.

"I'm fine." Lester could tell she was lying, but he didn't want to push the issue. She pulled into the garage and parked with another loud bang. She didn't even wait for the smoke to clear before she headed to the elevator. Lester jogged to keep up with her. He pushed the button for 5 after they boarded. The doors opened and Lester got out. He turned to Stephanie, but she had pushed the button for 7 and the doors closed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Stephanie was tired and in no mood to deal with Lester, Ranger, or the Swear Jar. She was going to take a nap then get back on the computer. She would check with Ranger later to see if Mr. Rasmussen had Inga's cell phone records delivered. She let herself into the apartment, kicked off her boots, and immediately snuggled under the covers. She barely remembered her head hitting the pillow.

Lester found Ranger in Tank's office. He really was all prepared to give Ranger an update of the car. But suddenly, he was overwhelmed with a sense of guilt. The car was not safe to drive. They almost got shot by the Trenton PD. The carbon monoxide from the fumes wasn't good for Stephanie or the baby…or the world. He also felt like he was betraying his friend's confidence. Tank and Ranger were looking at him expectantly. "Well?" Ranger demanded. Lester took a deep breath and slowly blew it out as he dropped into the empty chair.

"The car is….._really_ bad," he finally answered. He relayed all the problems with the car and what happened at the Police Station. "I think we hurt her feelings. She didn't say a word on the way back and went right upstairs."

"Why do you think she's upset?" Ranger asked.

"Everyone was going on about the car being a piece of shit. Then, she said something about us thinking she's stupid." Lester sank back into the chair. "Oh…we met the guy who took over Romano's. He and his grandson were in the diner. The kid's got a crush on Steph…._and_ that fucking piece a shit."

"That's a $1.50, Lester!" Val called out from around the corner. Lester groaned, got up, and threw the money in the jar. He came back in and closed the door behind him.

"Am I the only one who is going to go broke with that fucking thing?" Lester mumbled. Tank snorted. "Anyway…that place has a junkyard and a compactor. He seems like a real nice guy. I'm sure he'll help us out." Ranger nodded.

"She went straight upstairs?" Lester nodded. "I'm going to check on her. Then, we'll talk to Barnwell to see if he'd help us get rid of this car." Ranger got up and headed for the elevator. As if she could sense where he was going, Ivy bolted after him.

The apartment was dark and quiet. "Babe?" he called out softly. Ivy trotted to the bedroom and curled up with Stephanie. Ranger glanced at his watch. He wanted to talk to this Barnwell person, but it was almost 4 o'clock. No time to steal a few moments with her right now. Sighing, he pulled back the covers to get a look at her sleeping face. He leaned down and planted a kiss on her cheek before going back to 5.

Tank, Ranger, and Lester drove over to Romano's. Tommy immediately recognized Lester and ran over to them. "Hi Lester!" he said excitedly. "Is Stephie with you?" Ranger and Tank shot Lester sideways glances. Lester shook his head.

"No Tommy. This is Ranger and Tank. Ranger is our boss," Lester explained to him. Tommy's eyes got as wide as saucers.

"You're Batman?" He turned to his Grandfather. "Is he really Batman, Grandpa?" Ranger looked at Lester with raised eyebrows.

"Lula told him you were Batman," Lester told him sheepishly. Ranger turned to Tom and held out his hand.

"Ranger's a street name. I'm Carlos Manoso. This is another associate, Tank," Ranger said. Tom shook his hand.

"Tom Barnwell. This is my grandson, Tommy." Tom laughed. "He's a big fan of your other employee, Stephanie." Tommy's grin widened.

"Yeah! Stephie's really nice, too!" Ranger couldn't help but smile. "Hey Lester!" Tommy exclaimed. He grabbed Lester by the hand. "Let me show you all my cars!" He began to pull Lester towards the junkyard. Ranger nodded to Lester that it was okay. Probably a good idea to get Stephanie's groupie out of the way.

"Your employees made a big impression on him," Tom told him.

"Mr. Barnwell, I'd like to talk to you about helping me with a little problem I have," Ranger began. Tom waved him off.

"Tom…please. What can I do for you?" Ranger nodded and continued.

"You may have noticed the car Stephanie was driving." Tom chuckled.

"Yes. It made a big impression on Tommy as well."

"Well, I would like to contract you for the use of your compactor. I don't like Stephanie driving something that isn't safe. She's pretty stubborn and doesn't want me to buy her a car. She hasn't had the best of luck with cars recently." Tom understood.

"She's more than just your employee…isn't she?" Ranger smiled.

"Yes, she is. And, she's almost three months pregnant, too. If something happens to the car, she won't be surprised. I was hoping that one of my men could drop the car off here tomorrow, and you can get rid of it for us. We have plans to be out of town, so she won't be around. I figured I could tell her that I had someone take to car the repair the holes in the floor, and it got stolen," Ranger offered. Tom smiled.

"Have you talked to her about this?" Tom asked him. Tank choked back his laughter. Ranger smiled and shook his head.

"She's so damn independent. She wants to buy her own car. She's afraid to have anything nice. I could deal with some of the issues of that thing. But knowing that the seats aren't anchored down and the carbon monoxide fumes are pouring into the car, that car's got to go."

"I'm sure I can help you out. The compactor's not working correctly. I've ordered the parts, and they should be here Monday or Tuesday. But it's not a problem to drop the car off. I can keep it in the back with the other junkers I have to crush," Tom said. Ranger extended his hand again.

"I'd really appreciate that, Tom. I could pay you now, or you could send the bill here." Ranger handed Tom his business card.

"No charge. I'll just send it with the others for scrap metal. I've got about twenty cars back there that aren't worth a damn. Even for parts. We're open tomorrow from 10-6. Drop the car off anytime during those hours," Tom stated. Ranger nodded.

"Thanks again, Tom." They turned around to see Lester and Tommy emerge from the junkyard.

"Grandpa! I showed Lester all my cars." Lester smiled at him. "Can Lester come back again?" He looked anxiously from Ranger to his grandfather. "Stephie can come, too."

"They're welcome here any time, Tommy, but Lester and Stephanie are busy with work. So, we'll have to see." Tommy looked disappointed.

"I'm sure Stephie would like to come for a visit sometime, Tommy," Ranger told him. "We'll just check her work schedule." Tommy beamed.

"That would be great! I'll have Mommy make some cookies." Ranger had to smile again. Tommy's enthusiasm was infectious.

"Now you're talking Stephie's language, Tommy," Lester joked. They said their goodbyes and got in the truck. "I think you've got some competition, Ranger." Ranger smirked at the thought. Tommy sure seemed to be taken with Stephanie. No surprise there.

"I'll just be glad to get rid of that car," Ranger told them. "The fewer people that know about this…the better." Lester and Tank nodded. "You two drop the car off tomorrow after we leave."

Ranger found Stephanie still sleeping when he got home. Ella was in the kitchen with dinner. She smiled when he walked in. "I didn't want to wake her. Do you want to wait for her?" Ranger nodded. It was still early. "I made chocolate cake like you asked." She brought up the whole cake. "Are you in trouble?" Ranger chuckled.

"I might be," he told her with a smile. "Val talked me into starting a Swear Jar. Fifty cents a word. The money will go to charity which is why I agreed to it. Needless to say, it's not very popular with Steph." Ella laughed.

"I guess I'm going to be making a lot of chocolate cake," she replied. She patted him on the arm on the way out. Ranger headed into the bedroom. He pulled off his boots and slid into the bed. She let out a soft sigh as he snuggled up against her. He shifted to get the pressure off his shoulder. He had a follow up visit next week, and hoped he would be able to start using his right arm more. He was moving his lower arm more but made sure he kept the shoulder immobilized. He wanted to wrap both his arms around her. Even though he was improving every day, his progress was not fast enough for him. He made a call to his brother-in-law earlier about a car. His sister Selma was an OB-GYN and her husband, Jose, owned a car dealership out on Route One in New Brunswick. They had an 8 year old daughter. They also would be going to dinner at his parents' tomorrow night. Jose told him that he would have what Ranger wanted by the end of the week. Ranger knew Stephanie would be angry at him about getting her a car. At this point, he figured he would let her go ballistic, and eventually it would blow over. Bottom line … she would be driving around in a safe car.

Stephanie woke up snuggled into the crook of Ranger's arm. His body was always so amazingly warm. He slowly and gently ran his hand up and down her back. "Hey Sleeping Beauty," he greeted her softly.

"Hey," she replied groggily.

"Feel better?"

"Uh huh."

"Ready for dinner?" She was thirsty but not at all hungry.

"Um….not really. I just want some ice tea or something." She braced herself for the reaction. She felt his body stiffen. She was waiting for him to respond.

"Do you feel sick?" Ranger was trying to keep his response neutral. Whenever Stephanie refused food, he worried. He was also trying not to criticize her either.

"No. I'm not hungry. Just thirsty. I ate my lunch late." Now he was confused. She went to lunch with Lula and Lester over 6 hours ago. "I took my sandwich with me. The smells in the diner made me queasy, and I almost threw up. I ate my French fries and sandwich while Lester helped Lula with her skip." He was more at ease. She was almost 3 months pregnant, and she didn't look like she gained any weight. Her stomach was still flat. He was starting to feel sorry for his sister. His list of questions was getting longer every day.

"Maybe you should just try to eat a little bit," he suggested. She bit her lip. Damn, he didn't want to push her into it.

"I'll eat later. I'm not hungry and don't want to force any food down. I hate throwing up."

"Sorry, Babe. I'm not trying to force you to eat. I don't want you to get sick. I'm going to heat up my dinner now. I'm starving." He kissed her before getting out of bed. "I put the cell phone records on the desk," he told her over his shoulder as he headed to the kitchen. Stephanie bolted out of the bed and started to run towards the office. Before she made three steps, everything became foggy and dark. The floor seemed to come up and hit her.

Hearing a thud in bedroom, Ranger called out to her. When she didn't answer, he hurried back to see her sprawled out on the floor with Ivy licking her face. "Shit!" She was coming to as he knelt by her side. "Babe…what happened?" She tried to get up but Ranger held her in place.

"I think I just stood up too fast. I got really dizzy," she told him finally. "I'm okay." She looked into his face and smiled. His jaw was set. He didn't seem to believe her. She rolled her eyes and tried to get up. He held her tight as he helped her up. Another wave of dizziness hit her, and she grabbed on to him. It wasn't as bad as the first, and quickly began to clear. He watched her intently as he guided her to the side of the bed.

"Has this happened before?" He read that some women have difficult pregnancies. And with Stephanie's luck, it wasn't a surprise to him that she would be one of them. She shook her head no. He raised his eyebrows.

"I've felt dizzy a couple times after I've thrown up, but not like this," she explained. Here comes the caveman routine, she thought. She knew he meant well, but Ranger always went overboard. "I jumped up to go look at the cell phone records, and next thing I knew I was on the floor with Ivy licking my face." He pulled her tight and kissed the top of her head.

"Maybe you're trying to do too much, Babe. It's my fault. I shouldn't have given you the Rasmussen case. I'm going to assign Hector to help you full time," he told her.

"Really?" She was astounded. He wasn't pulling her off the case. She gave him her heart melting smile. "Thank you, Carlos."

"Promise me that you will rest when you feel tired and don't push yourself," he begged.

"I promise. But, I want you to know that sometimes I feel fine one minute and extremely tired the next. It comes on me so fast. I'm not trying to push myself. You have to believe me!" she insisted. He rested his forehead against hers.

"I believe you. I have no idea what you're going through," he sighed. "You know how I get if you're sick or hurt. It tears me apart. I'm trying not to be a caveman." She giggled. "How about another compromise?" She raised her eyebrows. "You sit on the couch with your feet up, and I'll bring you an ice tea _and_ the phone records."

"Thank you," she replied grinning from ear to ear. Ranger got up and held out his hand to her. She took it and slowly stood up. After a smile and a nod, they walked out to the living room.

Stephanie was surprised to see that Inga was still using her cell. She jotted down the numbers called after her disappearance. "I forgot to ask Mr. Rasmussen if he tried to call Inga. She's still using her phone," she said. She held up the phone bill. Ranger looked it over. Knowing that her phone was in the other room, he handed her his phone. She called Inga's number. After two rings, a young girl answered.

"Hello?"

"Is this Inga?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Inga…you don't know me. My name is Stephanie. Your father is trying to find you. He's worried about you…." Inga started to laugh.

"I'm surprised he even realized I was gone."

"Are you alright? Are you in trouble?"

"Just leave me alone." Inga disconnected. Stephanie immediately called her again, but got her voice mail.

"Inga. I understand if you don't want to talk to me. I understand what you're going through. I ran away from home a few times myself. I want to help." She proceeded to give Inga her cell number and asked her to call back. She took Ranger's hand in hers and sighed. "At least we know she's still alive."

"Proud of you, Babe. You're doing good work." Ranger took the list of numbers. "I'm going to give this to Hector, so he can track these numbers." He took his phone back and called Hector. He requested that he come up to the apartment.

Ranger told Hector that he would be helping Stephanie full time with the Rasmussen case. Hector smiled.

"Do we get to blow something up? Lester always gets to do the fun stuff," Hector joked. Stephanie rolled her eyes as Ranger smirked.

"We really need to work on this over the weekend. I don't want to waste any time. She's only 16," Stephanie insisted. Hector smiled.

"Don't worry, Bonita. I'll start working on this as soon as I finish up the security scans. I'll have this ready for you in the morning."

"Thanks Hector. I knew I could count on you." Right after Hector left, Ranger brought his empty dish to the kitchen.

"Babe? Do you want more ice tea?"

"Yes please." He refilled her glass.

"Are you feeling better?" He grabbed a Corona for himself.

"Well…I didn't feel bad before. Just dizzy. But, I'm getting up to go to the bathroom, so I'll let you know." She got up slowly. No problem. She gave him a triumphant smile before walking to the bathroom. "I always feel better after a nap." She only took a few minutes before she came back to snuggle with him on the couch.

"I'm thinking we should have someone drive us to my parents' tomorrow. Or, we could stay overnight. What do you think?" She pursed her lips.

"Why don't we see how I feel tomorrow morning? As much as I'd like to stay, I really want to work on getting in touch with Inga again." Ranger pulled her back against his chest.

"Sounds like a plan." He took a swig of his beer. "Tank reminded me that we have that awards dinner on Wednesday. I thought I'd take you shopping on Sunday for something to wear."

"Oh my God! I totally forgot about that dinner! I have nothing to wear! I have to go shopping!" she cried. She could feel Ranger shaking with laughter. "Carlos! It's not funny. You don't have to worry about anything. You already have a suit. It takes time to find the right outfit. And, the accessories. And, the shoes!"

"Babe….I just said I would take you shopping on Sunday. Relax. You could wear a friggin garbage bag and still be the hottest lady there. It won't take you long to find something to wear." He kissed her temple. "You'd look even better in nothing at all."

"Carlos…you have _no_ idea what it takes to find a dress. Remember what you said about my closet? That I couldn't possibly have a lot of stuff in there? You just don't know _anything_ about women and clothes," she insisted. She was right about that one. He didn't think it was humanly possible to fit as much stuff in that tiny closet in her apartment as she did. Ivy brought over her leash. Saved by the dog! Stephanie went to get up, but Ranger pulled out his phone.

"I'll call the Control Room to have someone take her out." While Ranger was taking Ivy to meet the elevator, Stephanie raided the kitchen. She spied the chocolate cake on the counter. Yum, she thought. Chocolate milk and chocolate cake for dinner! She helped herself to a generous piece then poured herself a large glass of milk.

Ranger watched her from the door way. She added the Hershey's syrup to her milk. He smiled and shook his head. He was slowly coming to terms with the fact that Stephanie considered chocolate a food group. She turned to him and gave him that heart melting smile. "I figured you'd be mad at me for the Swear Jar, so I pulled out the big guns." She giggled as she brought a forkful of cake to her mouth. She moaned and licked her lips. Oh yeah, he thought, chocolate cake does have some good qualities after all. He pressed himself up against her back and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned her head back against his chest.

"Whatever possessed you to agree to something like that?" He sighed and rested his chin on the top of her head.

"At first, I was thinking…'God help me'. Then, when she mentioned that the money would go to charity, it seemed like a good idea at the time." He kissed her temple. "Babe…if you really hate it, I'll put a stop to it right now." It was her turn to sigh.

"Now is probably not the best time for me to watch my language. But…." She turned around to face him. "It's for a good cause. I'm probably going to hate myself for saying this……but, let Val have her Swear Jar. I'm sure whatever charity gets that money will really be appreciative." He bent his down and licked the frosting off her lip.

"You taste so good," he told her softly. She felt him stir as he pulled her closer to him. His lips crashed down on hers, parting her lips with his tongue. Breaking the contact, he stared into her eyes. "I have to have you…_now_." They made their way to the bedroom while removing clothing along the way. Because of his injuries, he had not been able to get on top of her. Either Stephanie would be on top or they got creative with positions. With one week to go before his follow up appointment, Ranger decided he wanted to go for it. He lowered her on to the bed and followed her down.

"Carlos!" she gasped, "your shoulder!"

"That's not the body part I want to think about right now," he mumbled as he teased her nipple. With an awkward thrust, he slid himself inside her. Normally, he would support his weight with both arms. He watched her face to make sure she could bear his weight. He didn't want to hurt her. God, this felt so good. He almost felt back to normal again. It was after a few deep thrusts that he felt it. He constantly had his hands over her lower abdomen since he got back. He never felt this before. It felt like a softball. He froze and stared at her open-mouthed.

"What's wrong? Did you hurt your shoulder?" she cried. He shook his head as a smile spread across his face.

"I can feel the baby…well your stomach I mean," he told her catching her mouth with his. Her lips tightened as she smiled back. He never felt closer to her than he did at that moment. His little family. It was weird and exciting at the same time. He felt her tighten around him, calling out his name as she came. A few more thrusts, and he shuddered to his finish. He laid his head on her shoulder as they both tried to catch their breath. "Am I crushing you?" He didn't want to break the contact of his belly to hers.

"I'll be okay for a little bit longer. It feels good to have you on top of me again," she told him. "Is your shoulder okay?" He nodded against her shoulder. "I love you so much, Carlos." He rolled to his left and pulled her to him. He slid his hand over her belly again.

"Love you, too," he whispered. He couldn't feel the softball.

"Push a little harder," she offered.

"I don't want to hurt you." She had been very tender in the area after the car accident. The bruising had faded but he remembered how she flinched when he had touched her.

"It's alright. It doesn't hurt there anymore." He applied pressure but still didn't feel it. That is….until she giggled.

"Wow." He missed Rachel's whole pregnancy. Technically, this wasn't his first child, but in a lot of ways, it was. He could tell by the look in Stephanie's eyes that she was surprised by his reaction. "I missed Rachel's pregnancy. I came back from an assignment in Panama to find a message from her that she was pregnant. We were together for about a week. Got married by a Justice of the Peace. And got deployed again. Didn't come back till about a month after Julie was born. And….I wasn't exactly thrilled about the whole thing either." He rolled on his back and sighed. "I love Julie. She's my daughter. But I was an asshole, Babe. I really resented her in the beginning. It wasn't even her fault. At first, I was relieved that she really didn't know me, or had any attachment to me. Now….I hate myself for being so damn selfish." He rolled his head to the side to look into her eyes.

"Carlos….we all make mistakes. I have a lot of regrets, too. You can't change the past, but you can do something about the future." He laced his hand with hers.

"It's not going to be like that with us, Babe. I love you, and I want our baby. I'm…I'm a little nervous about becoming a real father, but I know it's what I want. I don't want to miss anymore of your pregnancy than I already have." She kissed his forehead.

"What are you nervous about?" He drew in a deep breath and blew it out.

"I failed as a father the first time. I don't want to fail our baby."

"Carlos…if anything, you'll probably be a better parent than me. You're responsible, smart, you know how to do everything…."

"Don't sell yourself short. You're loving, strong, and very smart." He kissed her gently on the lips. "We'll do this together, Babe. We've both got family and a lot of Uncles to help us out."

"I'm glad you told me that you're nervous. It makes me feel better about _me_ being nervous." She took a deep breath herself and slowly blew it out. She couldn't believe what was about to say. "Um….you said we need to start thinking about…uh…stuff. Like our future, I mean." Ranger's smile was so wide, she thought his face was going to crack.

Oh my God, he thought, he didn't scare her away. Jesus, please let this be what I think she wants, he silently begged. "Well, you said we should talk about what we're going to do. I mean…where we're going to live and…uh…stuff." He nodded.

"I was thinking we could live here. There's a storage area behind the living room. We could turn that into another bedroom. At least till the baby's older. Then, we could think about a house. What do you think about that?" He held his breath. He was hoping she wasn't going to remind him that she planned to move back to her apartment. Shit….she looks really nervous. She bit her lower lip.

Stephanie could swear that Ranger could probably hear her heart beating. She was so scared, but she had to let him know that she was ready to commit to herself to him. She needed her independence, but she needed to be with Ranger more than anything. "I like that idea, too," she replied softly, holding her breath. He just kept smiling.

"Hold that thought for a second, Babe," he told her and jumped up. This was it. This was the moment. He couldn't wait anymore, and he decided to go for it. He ran into the closet and punched the code into the locked drawer. He grabbed the ring box and jogged back to the bed. He thought he would plan a romantic dinner and pop the question in the soft candle light. But, now was the right time. He could feel it. She had gotten under the covers and was propped up on pillows against the headboard. He slid under the covers and pulled her close. "I never wanted a relationship before. Then, I met you. You got under my skin, and I couldn't stop thinking about you. After a few days, I knew I couldn't live without you. When MacGregor took you, I thought my life would be over if I lost you. I can't express to you in words how I felt when we found you. Then, I didn't want to be apart from you. Thanksgiving and Christmas had meaning again." Tears started to roll down her cheeks. "Leaving you to take that training assignment was the hardest thing I had ever done. When we were in Miami, I saw this and decided that when my contract was done, I wanted to make you mine. With my military career ending, I felt like a big part of my life was over. What I have come to realize is, that as long as you are in my life…..it's not over. It's just beginning." He opened the box to reveal the sparkling diamond ring. "Stephanie….please do me the honor of becoming my wife. Not because you are having my child, but because I love you and need you in my life. Stephanie….would you marry me?" He could feel her whole body shaking. He held his breath waiting for her answer. She looked him in the eye as her lower lip began to quiver.

The room felt like it was closing in on her. It was the most beautiful thing anyone had ever said to her. She thought he didn't want to get married again. She didn't expect this. All she thought they were doing was talking about living together permanently. She did love him with all her heart. Somehow, she wasn't afraid anymore. This just felt so right. Her head was spinning, and she didn't know what so say. So, her heart spoke up.

"Yes, Carlos," she whispered with a shaky voice. "I would be proud to be your wife." She just said _yes_, the voice in his head screamed. He hugged her tight. It felt like there was a tremendous weight that had been lifted.

"You just made me the happiest man in the world, Babe," he told her. "Thank you." He pulled back and took her shaking left hand to place the ring on her finger. "God, I love you." She looked down at her hand.

"I love you, too." She finally looked at the ring. "It's so beautiful, Carlos. It's so different." She had never seen anything like it. It was perfect. He probably spent an obscene amount of money on it, too.

"It's called an Asschur cut. I wanted something that was you." He gave her his 200 watt grin. "I can't believe you said yes." Even though her eyes were bloodshot and puffy, her eyes still seemed to glow with that heart melting smile.

"I can't believe it either. I didn't think you even _wanted_ to get married again. I know _I_ didn't. I thought we were going to talk about living together." She giggled and looked down at the ring again. "This just feels so right, Carlos. Ella knew what she was talking about." He raised his eyebrows. "We had a talk a couple months back. I told her about my horrible marriage and divorce. She told me how good it could be with the right person." He cupped her chin, tilted her head up, and slowly and passionately kissed her.

"Now, I get to make love to my fiancée," he told her with his wolfish grin.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Ranger had another night without sleep. At least this time, it was for a different reason. He and Stephanie made love the entire night. Ranger felt like he was on top of the world until Stephanie had gotten sick again that morning. He never left her side as she heaved into the toilet and had just put her back to bed. Now, he berated himself over being so selfish. He wanted her so badly last night and had just given into his desires. He poured her a cup of tea and hunted for the box of saltines that Ella bought. He didn't care that his shoulder was sore. He regretted pushing Stephanie too much. She hadn't been feeling well and fatigued easily. He just couldn't help himself. Feeling the little hard lump in her belly was really the first confirmation he got that she actually was pregnant. Yeah, she was a little pale and threw up a lot, and he did notice that her breasts were a little bigger, but this was different. Then…she said yes. He asked her to marry him, and she said yes. He couldn't help smiling as he strained the tea bag and added the sugar. So many changes in his life. Some were good and some he wasn't sure about. This was one of the good ones.

Stephanie watched as a beautiful, and naked, Cuban God approached their bed carrying a tray with her tea and crackers. She was never going to get used to that body. "See something you like?" She giggled. She must have had some big goofy grin on her face or something.

"If I didn't feel so crappy right now, I'd jump you," she groaned. He gave her his 200 watt grin. Although it hadn't waned past 100 watts since she said yes. He placed the tray in the center of the bed and slid under the covers. She took a small sip of the tea. "Thank you." She pushed herself up into a sitting position and leaned back against the headboard. The sheet slipped to her waist, and she quickly grabbed it and covered herself. Walking around nude never seemed to bother Ranger. Of course, he had nothing to be ashamed about…his body was so perfect.

"You don't have to cover yourself around me, Babe." Blushing actually put more color into her face. "I think you have an amazing body."

"Get outta here," she laughed as she playing punched him. The sparkle of her ring caught her eye. Holding her hand out, she admired the rock that Ranger placed on her finger. The ring was the most incredible thing she had ever seen. She just couldn't get over how beautiful the ring was. She probably would have never picked something like this out for herself.

He watched as she sipped her tea and admired the ring. "I can get you a different one if you don't like it," he softly told her.

"Don't you dare! I _love_ this ring. It's so different." From the wide grin and sparkle in her eyes, he could tell she truly was happy with his choice. He gently took her hand as they both inspected the ring further.

"I immediately thought of you when I saw it." He brought her hand to his lips. "I'm sorry about overdoing it last night….." She rolled her eyes.

"You don't hear me complaining…do you? Last night was very special, Carlos. I love you and wanted every minute of it." She snuggled into his side. "Nothing we did last night would have stopped me from throwing up this morning anyway." He kissed her temple. "But speaking of which…..how is your shoulder this morning?" When he didn't answer, she craned her neck to look at his face. Giving her his wolfish grin, his eyes darted to his waist.

"My shoulder's not the problem." She followed his gaze down to the tented sheet. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, Babe." She snorted.

"Sorry to ruin your camping trip, but you need to pack up your tent and go home. The campground is temporarily closed," she joked. She felt his body shaking.

"Not a problem. I'll take the dog out, and let you get some rest." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll be back when the campground re-opens." Ivy immediately ran and grabbed her leash. Ranger limped to the bathroom.

Ranger took Ivy to the dog park to let her run. He couldn't believe she said yes. There were still so many issues running through his head. He was still having nightmares about the crash. Did Jeanne Ellen ever make good on her promise? Was she really pregnant with his child? He didn't know why, but it really bothered him.

Stephanie was sound asleep when he returned. It wasn't even 7:00 AM yet. Knowing it was going to be a long day, he quickly undressed and got back in bed. Her body automatically responded to him in her sleep. With a soft little sigh that escaped her lips, she turned and molded herself into his side. "Love you," he whispered.

Because Stephanie wanted to work on the Rasmussen case, they decided to leave shortly after lunch to allow time to visit before dinner. Stephanie had gone down to Hector's apartment to review everything in her files. Ranger met with Tank to give him the spare keys to the #2mobile. "What are we going to tell her?" Ranger ran a hand through his hair.

"Tell her….you took it to get the holes fixed," Ranger sighed. "Then…maybe they had an accident, or the car caught on fire or something." Tank smirked.

"Are you sure she's not going to get mad?"

"If she finds out we lied to her about it?" Tank nodded. "Oh…she'll be pissed alright, but I'm hoping that she won't find out until I have her new car here." Tank raised and eye brow. "I ordered a Shelby Cobra from my brother-in-law. It should be here by the end of the week. I had already ordered it but…..now, it's going to be an engagement present." Now, Tank raised both eye brows and a slow smile spread. Ranger couldn't help but to smile back. Tank grabbed Ranger around the waist and hoisted him up into a bear hug.

"Holy Shit, Man!" Tank knew it was coming. Ranger told him he bought the ring. But, he thought Ranger was going to wait a while longer. He was thrilled for his best friend. He had closed himself off emotionally for so long. He hadn't deprived himself of female companionship, but Ranger refused to let himself feel anything. Stephanie and Ranger were perfect for each other. Tank let him down when he heard the sound of a throat clearing behind them.

"Don't let me interrupt anything girls," Lester joked. Tank clapped Ranger on the shoulder.

"They got engaged last night." Lester's eyes widened.

"Holy Shit!" He shook Ranger's hand. "Congratulations, Man." The few times Lester had seen Ranger this happy all had something to do with Stephanie. For the most part, he was happy for the both of them. There still was a small part of his heart that was crushed. Lester had strong feelings for Stephanie. He worked so hard to convert those feelings to friendship only. But, every now and then, a twinge of jealousy would rear its ugly head….like now. "Where is Steph?"

"She's with Hector. I had him partner with her." The smile slipped from his face for the first time since they had gotten engaged. "She passed out last night, and she's got me worried. I know certain things come along with being pregnant, but I'm afraid it's too much for her."

"And, you can't take her off the Rasmussen case," Tank agreed. Ranger nodded.

"That would go over like a fart in church," Lester added.

"She promised me that she would rest when she didn't feel well. As much as I'd like to, I can't lock her in our apartment till she has the baby either. Selma and Jose are going to be there tonight. I've got a ton of questions to ask her. I don't know what's normal, or if I should be worried," Ranger explained.

"My sister had a rough pregnancy," Lester said. "She threw up a lot, and then had the kind of diabetes you get from pregnancy." Ranger winced.

"Fuck…that would be _all_ Steph would need," he groaned. "If she couldn't have sugar….I don't even want to think about that." Tank shook his head as if to clear that thought from his mind.

"I think I would ask to transfer back to Miami," Tank told him. "Those pregnancy hormones are already doing a job on her. I can't imagine what she'd be like without sugar." Both Ranger and Lester shuddered at the thought.

Stephanie reviewed everything she had with Hector. "I'll go through all the postings and see what else I can come up with."

"She seemed to correspond to Drusilla, Medusa, Son of Vlad, Satan's Only Son, and High Priest. Her name is Queen of the Damned….stop laughing." She swatted Hector with the file. "I know they're a bunch of weirdoes, but she's only 16. She was only looking to fit in somewhere. And, if you've seen the home life she came from, I might look to become a member of the community of the undead, too." Hector shook his head.

"And Monday night we're going where?"

"Flux. We'll monitor the posts to see if the plans change. But, you're going to have to dress like them. You know…like a Goth." Hector grimaced.

"You want a gay Mexican to dress like a Goth. Bonita….you are so going to owe me big time," Hector groaned.

"Hey…Lula and I are dressing up, too," she insisted.

"But, this is _me_ we're talking about." She rolled her eyes. Hector pulled her onto his lap and kissed her cheek. "I'm only kidding. You know I'd to anything for you." The sparkle of her ring caught his eye. He grabbed her hand to better inspect it. "Holy Shit! When did you get engaged?" She grinned back at him.

"Last night. I thought we were just going to talk about where we were going to live after I have the baby. Carlos totally surprised me." She sighed. "I didn't think I'd ever want to get married again. I didn't think he wanted to get married again either."

"Do you love him?" She nodded.

"More than anything." She looked down at the ring. "But…"

"But what?" She bit her lower lip.

"I'm scared, Hector."

"Scared of what?"

"I'm scared that he's going to wake up one day and realize that he made a mistake. That he doesn't want to be tied down to one woman. That he's going to feel trapped….." Hector cut her off.

"That will never happen, Bonita. Ranger is far too gone for that. I've known him for a couple years now. I know you know about his playboy past. He may throw some of his rules out with you and act a little impulsive, but make no mistake….Ranger _always_ thinks about what he does. Sometimes, he over-thinks things. That's what makes him so good. Believe me, this is something he wants." He felt her relax.

"Really?" Hector sighed. He watched her gain some self confidence since first met her, but she still had a ways to go. Her self-worth had really taken a beating.

"Oh yeah. You better love him 'cause you are stuck with him." Stephanie giggled. She gave him a hug and a kiss before heading back to 7.

Stephanie was ambushed by Tank and Lester upon returning to the apartment. "Congratulations!" Tank told her as her swung her around. As soon as he set her down, Lester pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"Let's see the rock," he said as he reached for her left hand. At first, they were a little surprised that the stone didn't need a forklift for her to carry it around. But, on closer inspection, it was her. They were sure Ranger spent a small fortune on it, too. "So when's the wedding?" The smile slipped from Stephanie's face.

"Uh…I….we…," she stammered while looking back and forth between Lester and Ranger.

"We haven't talked about that yet," Ranger added as he wrapped an arm protectively around her. If he didn't know Stephanie like he did, Ranger would think she was having second thoughts. She just needed time to adjust to things. He was secretly hoping they would get married before the baby was born. But, he was not going to push her and scare her away. He knew that she loved and trusted him enough to say yes. It was a major step for her. "I just surprised her with this last night. Give her time to get used to the idea." He felt her relax into his embrace and the smile returned to her face. "Oh…Tank and Lester are taking your car to the shop today, Babe. Those holes need to be covered. It's not good to have those fumes pouring in to the car." They all held their breath for her reaction.

"Okay," she responded. Thank God, Ranger sighed to himself. "But, please don't paint anything else on it!" Tank and Lester exchanged nervous glances.

"Uh…no, Beautiful. I promise we won't paint your car," Lester said. He tapped Tank on the arm and jerked his head towards the door. Tank gave him a nod.

"Have fun tonight. We'll see you when you get back," Tank told them over his shoulder. He and Lester got into the elevator.

"Yeah…we won't paint your car….we're just going to crush it like a beer can," Lester muttered. Tank snickered.

"I just hope she doesn't find out till Ranger gives her the new Mustang her got her." Lester raised his eyebrows.

"No shit?" Tank smiled.

"A Shelby Cobra. Should be here by the end of the week. Since she knows, let's go take that piece of shit to Romano's now."

"Good idea."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Ranger swore his mother must have spotted the sun shining off Stephanie's engagement ring before she could even park the Escape. Maria came running out of the house and had Stephanie's door open in a flash. She immediately grabbed Stephanie's left hand and began to cry. Stephanie shot Ranger a confused look. Ranger just shrugged and smiled. "We used to call her Eagle Eye. We never could get anything past Mama," he explained. Maria pulled her into a hug.

"Oh my God! When did you get engaged? I'm _so_ happy for the both of you!" She kissed Stephanie and hugged her again. Ranger had gotten out of the truck and came around to the driver's side. "Oh Carlito!" She released Stephanie from her death grip and threw herself onto her son.

"For God's sake Maria, let them at least get out of the driveway!" Raoul called to her. Maria grabbed them by the hand and led them over to Raoul.

"They're getting married!" she exclaimed. She thrust Stephanie's left hand into Raoul's face. Raoul hugged Stephanie.

"Welcome to the family," he told her. Then, he hugged his son. "Congratulations."

"Thanks, Papa." He turned to his mother. "We got engaged last night. And no…we haven't set a date and have _not_ made any plans yet." Stephanie smiled at him in relief.

"It doesn't matter!" Maria replied. "What's important is that you two are getting married!" She took Stephanie by the hand and led her inside. Ranger and his father followed. Stephanie followed Maria into the kitchen. There was a lopsided chocolate cake on the counter. "We're watching Mike and Ian while Celia is out of town this weekend. They were so excited that you were coming for dinner that they made you a chocolate cake." Stephanie grinned from ear to ear.

"They've got you down, Babe," Ranger joked. Ranger noticed that his parents exchanged worried glances. "What's the matter?" Maria looked at Raoul and sighed.

"Rena is staying with us as well. She just got out of rehab this week." She looked nervously at Stephanie. "She needed a place to stay….and she _is_ trying." Stephanie forced a smile.

"It's okay. We all make mistakes. What's important is that she's trying to get help," Stephanie offered. This news didn't exactly thrill her, but she was more worried about Ranger's reaction. She flashed Ranger a look to not start with his mother about Rena. She could tell from his tight set jaw that he was not happy.

"I know, Carlito. But, we set rules for her to stay here. No drinking or using drugs. She has to attend her meetings. That's where she is right now. If she breaks any of the rules, she knows she has to leave," Maria insisted. Ranger nodded and walked into the living room. Raoul put a hand on her shoulder than followed Ranger.

"Take a walk with me. The boys' baseball practice will be over soon. I have to meet them at the park," Raoul told him. Ranger nodded again. "Maria…Carlos and I are going to the park to meet the boys." Ranger came up behind Stephanie and kissed her cheek.

"Be back in a little while, Babe." Then, they headed out the front door. Maria waited till they hit the sidewalk.

"Raoul is going to talk to Carlito. Tank called him and told him about what's been going on. You know…about him not sleeping and not acting like himself," Maria explained. Stephanie's eyes widened. Ranger was not going to like that, she thought. "He looks so tired."

"He's going to kill Tank when we get home," Stephanie joked. Maria sat on the couch and patted the seat next to her. Stephanie joined her.

"What's been going on with him?" Stephanie shrugged.

"When I ask him, he tells me he's frustrated because he can work or exercise. I know Carlos is a very active person. He said he's going a little stir crazy, but…." She looked down at the hands she was wringing. "I don't think he's telling me the whole truth. I mean I'm sure it has something to do with the crash. Maybe he feels a little guilty about the men that were killed?" Yeah…and maybe he feels trapped, she said to herself. "I get the feeling there is a lot more to it." Maria took her hand.

"Raoul knows how to get through to Carlito. Even as a boy, he kept things to himself." She took Stephanie's hand and admired her ring. "You make him so happy, Stephanie. You don't know how many nights I had stayed awake and prayed that we would see Carlito again." Maria's eyes welled up with tears. "This Ranger…_person_…was so hardened and cold. I don't know everything that he had been involved in. But, I'm his mother…and I'm not stupid. He started to change when he got involved in that gang. But, it was after he joined the Army that Carlito began to really disappear, and he became Ranger. I didn't see Carlito again until the day he brought you to meet us." Maria grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes. Then, she handed another one to Stephanie. "Now, I stay awake thanking God that he met you. Carlito is a very lucky man." Stephanie smirked as she wiped the tears off her face.

"_I'm _the lucky one, Maria," she told her. "I still can't believe that someone like Carlos would even be interested in someone like me." Maybe it was all her pent up fears. Maybe it was the stress of everything that happened over the past month. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones. It was like the flood gates opened, and she began to cry.

Raoul waited till they were a few blocks from home before he spoke. "I think we need to talk, Carlos." Ranger raised his eye brow.

"About what?" But, he knew where his father was going with this.

"What's been troubling you. Must be something really big to have Tank worried." Ranger's head snapped to look at his father. He was rarely taken by surprise. Someone could have knocked him over with a feather at that moment. Tank! He was furious because this was none Tank's business. "Don't be angry at Tank. From what it sounds like, he has every right to be concerned. He's concerned for you…and, for Stephanie." It was a little ironic because Ranger had thought about talking to his father a few days ago.

"I'm fine, Papa. I'm just a little…." Ranger was searching for the right word.

"You're not fine, Carlos. Even _I_ can see that. You're not sleeping. You're not acting like yourself. What's bothering you? Is it the accident?" Ranger stopped walking dropped his head. He felt his father's hand on his arm. "It helps to talk about it, son." Ranger sighed.

"Truth is, Papa….. I'm _not_ really sure," he finally admitted. "So much shit went down. I don't know if it's just one thing, or everything. I…I just don't know. I _know_ Stephanie's worried. She keeps asking me about it, and I haven't told her the truth. I've had some bad dreams about the crash. I lost just about all my men. I just don't feel like myself." Raoul squeezed his arm.

"Well, let's talk about one thing at a time," he replied with a warm smile. "We'll figure this out together." As they continued to walk to the park, Ranger told his father about hiring Jeanne Ellen, the trouble she caused, the threats she made, and the aftermath.

"She told me she was pregnant with my child. And, that she lost the baby when that mission went south. That's why she went after Stephanie." Ranger told him about the car accident, Jeanne Ellen slipping the RU486 in the pizza, and the whole miscarriage hoax. "It almost killed me, Papa…when Tank told me she lost our baby. Then, he wouldn't let me talk to her. Stephanie needed me, and I wasn't there." He paused to take a deep breath. "Thank God, they were both strong enough to do it. I think she would have gone after Stephanie again." Ranger ran a hand through his hair. "And, I still don't know if she ever made good on her threats. They are definitely people that I wouldn't want to take on by myself. If they ever found out who I am and where I live……they would get at me through Stephanie." They arrived at the park. The practice wasn't over yet, so they sat on a nearby bench.

"Does Stephanie know about this?" Ranger shook his head.

"And, she's not going to know about it either. Unless I know for sure, I don't want her told anything about that," Ranger insisted.

"What about the dreams?" Ranger shook his head.

"I don't always remember them. Bits and pieces mostly. A sensation of falling. I don't actually remember much about the crash. I guess I yelled out a few times in my sleep. I know that really upset her," he explained. "That was supposed to be my last assignment. I opted to do the training thinking it would be safer. I've had missions go south before and lost men, but I've never lost the whole team before. And, it wasn't even combat. It was during a _transport_ for training! A part of me does feel guilty that I made it out. And, I feel a little guilty that I'm glad that I survived. My contract is up April 1st. Then, I'm officially discharged."

"How do you feel about that?"

"I can focus on my business full time…and my life with Stephanie. Even before I met her, I was thinking about getting out. It was starting to get old. Being called away at a moment's notice…for God knows how long. The money was good. It enabled me to start my business and invest the rest. But…I think it was time."

"Are you going to miss it?" Ranger shook his head no. Raoul could tell that wasn't the whole truth because he didn't look him in the eye. "Is that the truth?" Ranger looked directly at his father.

"The Army has been my life. It gave me the skills to be the best. It's who I am. It's such a big part of me, Papa. Without it…I feel like my life is over." Ranger took another deep breath and slowly blew it out. This was what it was that had been eating at his soul. He felt like he was losing his identity.

"Carlos," Raoul began softly, "it's not over. Your life is far from over. Remember this…it's not _what_ you do, but _how_ you do it that makes you who you are. You were the best in the Army because of you, my son. Do you think less of me because I picked up people's trash for a living?" Ranger recoiled as if slapped.

"No, Papa. You are a _great_ man. I've always respected and looked up to you. I never thought _any_ less of you because of your job!" Ranger insisted. He dropped his head. He would never want to insult or put down his father for being a garbage man.

"I know you didn't, Carlos. I was trying to make a point. You have a successful business because of _your_ hard work. I'm sure your military contacts helped, but it's because they know _you_ are the best. And, you have a very special woman in your life that is going to have your child. You have so much to look forward to now." Ranger nodded. His father knew him better than anyone. Well almost. He had opened himself up to Stephanie more in the past six months than he had to anyone else in his entire life. Tank knew him well because he had known him since he was thirteen years old. His father had nailed it. Ranger felt like he was losing himself. And, he didn't like it. He started to feel a little anxious. Fortunately, the boys' practice was over. He wanted to get back to Stephanie. Being with her always seemed to calm him down.

After her talk and crying jag with Maria, Stephanie was exhausted. She felt drained. Wasn't a surprise since she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. Maria insisted that she lay down. She led her to Ranger's old room. She saw it last time she was there. It was a small room with a dresser, a night stand, and a twin bed. There were a few pictures of Ranger in his dress uniform and some others with him and Tank. "Did Tank _ever_ have hair?" Stephanie asked. Maria chuckled.

"I'll show you some pictures later," she promised. "I saved one of him with this _huge_ afro. Don't tell him though. Just get some rest now." Stephanie was too tired to argue. As she lay on the bed, she tried to imagine Ranger growing up here with his family. It was a comforting thought that lulled her off to sleep.

The boys were excited to see their Uncle Carlos. Ranger and Raoul, Jr. made an extra special effort to be there as much as they could for them. John, Celia's oldest son, knew his father, but Mike and Ian didn't. Ranger was away a lot, but always made it a point to see them while on leave. Raoul and his family had been around until a few years ago when he retired from the Newark Police Department and took over Rangeman Miami. Although they were happy to see him, the boys kept their distance. The whole family was worried sick when they heard about the crash, but the boys took it very hard. Celia had to constantly assure them that Ranger was going to be okay. They called him a couple of times, but this was the first time they got to see him. The only tell tale sign of the accident was the sling. Mike and Ian were afraid to jump on him like they normally did.

"Are you doing better, Uncle Carlos?" Ian asked him cautiously. Ranger pulled both boys to him.

"Yeah…I'm much better now." The boys' attitude appeared to lighten.

"We made Stephanie a chocolate cake," Mike told him proudly. Ranger smiled at them.

"She can't wait for dessert now. She was thrilled when she saw it," he told them. They smiled at each other.

"Told ya she'd like it," Ian said to Mike.

"Yeah…now we get to hear her _moan_ again when she eats it," Mike agreed. Ranger shook his head and looked at his father. Raoul clamped a hand down on their shoulders.

"Let's give Stephanie a break, guys. You don't want to make her feel bad, do you?" Raoul warned. Their eyes opened wide.

"But, we _like_ Stephanie, Grandpa," Mike insisted.

"Yeah…that's why we made her that cake," Ian added. "Doesn't she like us, Uncle Carlos?" Ranger smiled at them.

"Stephanie loves you both. She gets enough teasing at home. Like Grandpa said…let's give her a break tonight. Wait till the next visit to make fun of her." Raoul just shook his head.

"Alright…let's head back home." Thank God, they were moving. Ranger felt antsy. He would walk the halls of Rangeman when he felt like this. The boys were chatting away, but he wasn't paying attention. He felt like a caged tiger, pacing back and forth looking for a way to escape. It seemed like it took them forever to get home. He immediately looked for her.

"I made her lay down. She was so tired," Maria explained. He gave her a nod and turned to leave the kitchen.

"Uncle Carlos…_wait_!" Ian called to him. Mike cut a huge piece of the cake and handed it to him.

"We know she can't wait till later," Mike told him as he handed him the plate. Ranger gave them a smile and a nod before hurrying upstairs. Although Mama didn't say, he knew she was in his room. Just the sight of her lying in his bed made him hard. He put the cake on the night stand and locked the door. She was wearing the velour pink track suit that he loved so much. He toed off his sneakers then pulled off his socks. Watching her sleep usually calmed him. He needed more. He needed to be inside her. He removed his sling, then gingerly pulled off his shirt. Next, he unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans to allow them to hang low on his hips exposing a strip of his thick black curls. He knelt next to the bed and gently began to rub her back.

It took Stephanie a few seconds to realize where she was. She felt Ranger's warm hand caressing her. Smiling, she rolled over, and her chin dropped. He was leaning over her shirtless and pants so low he was practically exposed. The only thing holding up those pants was the huge bulge threatening to split the seams. His body was so beautiful. She knew every inch of that amazing chest and those wonderful abs. After licking her lips, she looked up to see his wolfish grin and turned crimson. Embarrassed, she turned away.

"Don't," he whispered. With two fingers placed on her chin, he gently turned her face to look her in the eyes. "Don't ever be embarrassed to look at me, Babe. I told you that you have my heart and soul, but that includes my body, too. Besides…I love when you look at me like I'm a piece of chocolate cake."

"It's hard _not_ to look at you, Carlos," she replied. "You are so beautiful." He kissed her forehead.

"I want you to look at me, Stephanie." Her eyes left his and travelled down his body. She raised a hand to caress his face. Then, she slowly ran both her hands over his shoulders and down his chest. Tilting his head back, a soft groan escaped his lips. "I love to feel you touch me." She leaned forward and placed butterfly kisses on his chest. God, this feels so good, he thought. He unzipped her jacket and slid it off her shoulders. Her lips and tongue trailed down to his belly button and made him shiver. He needed her now. He pulled her little tee shirt over her head then unhooked her bra before easing her on her back. His kiss started out gentle, but quickly turned demanding and hungry. With one smooth motion, he slid off her pants and underwear. Pausing for a brief moment, he ran his eyes up and down her body. "_You're_ beautiful, Babe." He yanked his pants down past his hips freeing himself. Lowering his body over hers, he eased himself inside.

It started out slow and deliberate, but soon turned fast and hard. His need for release was almost primal. He could feel her tighten around him, and she began to whimper. He swallowed her cries with his mouth.

Maria went upstairs to check on Stephanie. She saw Mike and Ian listening at the door. "What are you doing?" The boys' faces lit up.

"Stephanie's eating our cake," Mike told her proudly as Ian nodded in agreement. Maria turned her head and heard the sounds coming from the bedroom. Stephanie's muffled cries and the creaking of the bed told her otherwise. She shooed them away from the door.

"Go downstairs and help your Grandpa," she insisted. The boys nodded and ran downstairs. Maria just shook her head. Her son was as insatiable as his father.

Ranger lay on top of Stephanie not wanting to break the contact. Still inside her, he could feel the hardened lump in her belly. He drew strength from holding his little family in his arms. Both panting, they held each other as they tried to catch their breath. Ranger felt the tension drain from his body when he emptied into her. He knew Stephanie knew that he loved her. What he wasn't sure was, if she knew how much he _needed_ her. She always had some sort of calming effect on him that he couldn't explain. Of course, she could equally make him lose all control as well.

Ranger's weight was so comforting. She stroked his hair while he held her tight. That must have been some talk with his father, she mused. Not that the sex wasn't good, but it felt different. It reminded her of the sex they had in his office the other day. She had needed him so badly. She wanted to ask him about it but was afraid. There was something that was bothering him. That much was obvious. Something he either didn't want to share with her, or he couldn't share. Was she more afraid of pissing him off by asking, or what his answer would be? She brushed her lips across his forehead in a soft kiss. "I love you, Carlos," she whispered. She felt him tighten his grip on her.

"I love you too, Babe." He kissed the soft skin between her breasts. He wanted a few more minutes alone with her before they had to get up. Selma and Jose would be there soon.

"Is that chocolate cake?" Ranger chuckled. He reached over and grabbed the plate. He pulled out of her so he could shift his body in order to feed it to her. He smiled while she gave a little moan.

"Good?" She nodded.

"They can bake for me anytime," she told him then opened her mouth for the next bite. After she finished off the cake, Ranger stood pulling his pants back up. He peeked into the hall.

"Coast is clear, Babe." He helped gather her clothes, and they raced to the bathroom to clean up.

The boys were in the living room playing their Wii. They saw Stephanie carrying the empty plate. "See Grandma!" Ian insisted, "I _told_ you Stephanie was eating the cake!" Stephanie turned five shades of red. Ranger fought back laughter as she shot him an angry glare.

"She really _loved_ the cake, guys," Ranger told them. The boys grinned ear to ear.

"It was very good. That was so sweet of you guys to think of me like that. You know how much I love chocolate cake," she told them. They paused their game and ran over to hug her. Selma, Jose, and their daughter Lena arrived. Greetings were exchanged and congratulations offered.

"You and Stephanie are getting married, Uncle Carlos?" Mike asked. Ranger nodded. Mike and Ian high-fived each other.

"That's so cool," Ian told them. "Does that mean we can call you _Aunt_ Stephanie now?" Stephanie looked at Ranger and smiled. She was still trying to get used to the idea about becoming a wife again, let alone a mother. She hadn't thought about the extended family part. And surprisingly, she kind of liked it. They settled in the living room.

"So…how have you been feeling, Steph?" Selma asked. Stephanie opened her mouth but Ranger answered for her.

"She's been sick and tired a lot," Ranger said. Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"Sick and tired is right," she mumbled.

"What?" Ranger gave her a confused look.

"Nothing," she replied.

"That's totally normal, Carlos," Selma laughed. "Are you able to keep anything down?" Stephanie nodded.

"I get sick most mornings sometimes throughout the day. Or, with really strong smells. But, most stuff stays down," Stephanie explained.

"You may want to eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. That helps sometimes. Eating protein before you go to bed can help with morning sickness. Of course, these things don't always work. Just do the best you can. This usually passes after the first trimester. When are you due?"

"October…not really sure of the date. But, according to the ultrasound I had, I'm around 10 weeks or so."

"Who is your OB/GYN?"

"Uh…Dr Freda James. She has a practice in Trenton and works out of St Francis," Steph said. Selma wasn't familiar with her.

"Have you thought about natural childbirth or breast feeding?"

"I haven't really thought about either to be honest," Stephanie sighed. "I know the baby has to come out somehow. I was hoping they could knock me out, and I'll wake up three days later or something." Selma laughed.

"What's natural childbirth?" Ranger asked.

"That's when you don't use any drugs. The mother uses Lamaze techniques for relaxation and breathing. The father, or partner, acts as the delivery coach. You two can take classes for that. It's much better for the baby. And, it really helps the mother through the delivery. Or, you can opt for the epidural," Selma explained. Ranger pursed his lips in thought. Stephanie gagged.

"Maybe we should check into that, Babe. Especially, if it's better for the baby. It's something we can do together," Ranger suggested. Stephanie glared at him then turned to Selma.

"Can we bring a George Foreman grill with us?" Selma frowned.

"Uh….I don't think so…why?"

"Well…since Carlos wants to _share_ this experience, every time I get a contraction, I can smash his balls in the grill. _This_ way we can go _through_ it together," Stephanie told them. Jose and Raoul snickered. Ranger's blank face slammed into place. He looked into Stephanie's eyes and saw that she was dead serious. He rubbed his face with his hands before looking back at his sister.

"So, tell me about the epidural."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Dinner was almost ready. Maria took care to make something very simple and somewhat bland for Stephanie. Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, homemade rolls, and baked macaroni and cheese. Selma and Stephanie joined Maria in the kitchen to help get things ready. "I'm surprised Rena's not back yet. She knew everyone was coming for dinner," Maria told them.

"How's she doing, Mama?" Maria shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't think she's had anything to drink. I haven't smelled it on her breath. And, I've been checking. She mostly keeps to herself. But, I do think she is trying."

Jose huddled with Ranger in the living room. "The car will be here on Tuesday. So, when do you want it delivered?" Ranger's eyebrows shot up. This was good. They could get rid of that piece of shit, and he could give her the car before she had a chance to find another stroke mobile. Because if she ever came home with another piece of shit like that again, he would have a stroke.

"Can you have it delivered on Wednesday?" Jose nodded.

"No problem. I can't wait to see it myself. It's a nice looking car, Carlos. She's going to love it." Ranger smiled.

"I'm sure she'll throw a fit at first. But…I know she loved that Mustang she had. She doesn't want me to buy her another car. She needs something safe and reliable. When she finally calms down….I'm sure she'll love it," Ranger told him.

Maria, Selma, and Stephanie began to put the food out on the table as everyone began to gather. Rena came in the back door. Stephanie shot Ranger another warning look. Rena gave curt greeting to her family and a slight nod to Stephanie and Ranger. The tension thickened in the air as everyone took their seats. Maria looked around the table. "We have some exciting news, Rena," she said breaking the ice. "Carlito and Stephanie are going to get married." Rena didn't even look up.

"You knock up another one, Carlos?" She toyed with the food on her plate. "My brother is _very_ responsible, Steph. He marries _all_ the girls he impregnates." Stephanie could feel Ranger tense up beside her.

"Rena! Please?" Maria begged. Selma gave her a disgusted look.

"You're gonna have a baby, Stephanie?" Mike asked. Stephanie gave him a half smile and nodded.

"Cool!" Mike and Ian responded in unison. Ranger couldn't take his death glare off his sister. Rena shot Stephanie an antagonistic smile. Before she could stop herself, Stephanie got in her own low blow.

"So, Rena…how was rehab? I'm glad you're working on getting your life together. The older you are…you know…the harder it is," Stephanie told her before shoveling mashed potatoes into her mouth. Jose snickered. She felt Ranger squeeze her thigh. She looked over at Maria and felt guilty. That was…until Rena spoke again.

"Well, that's true I suppose. But, it sure beats trapping a man by getting myself pregnant," Rena spat back. Ranger jumped up. "What? Are you going to _hit_ me now, Carlos?"

"Enough!" Raoul interrupted. Stephanie grabbed Ranger's hand.

"What?" Rena whined. "_She_ started it." Stephanie could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She felt horrible. She didn't mean to start a fight. Why couldn't she have kept her mouth shut? "It's not _my_ fault _he_ can't keep it in his pants. Don't we have enough half-breeds in this family? Aren't _Latinas_ good enough for you anymore, Carlos? And, don't worry Steph…he'll _marry_ you before the baby's born. He's too proud to have any _bastard_ children running around. That he _knows_ of anyway." All hell broke loose.

If asked, Stephanie couldn't tell anyone what happened even if she wanted to. Raoul and Jose were busy trying to get Ranger out of the room. Maria was rambling something to him in Spanish to try to calm him down. Rena sat there with some damn, shit-eating grin on that ugly puss of hers, so pleased with herself for getting to them…_again_. Stephanie could blame the pregnancy hormones….yeah…that had to be it. Well, that…and Rena was a total bitch. She was used to Rena's snide comments about Ranger's past and whatever her issue was with her being white. But, it was the _half-breed_ and _bastard_ comments that pushed her over the edge. The fact that she was white and Ranger was Latino had never even crossed her mind. With that in mind, the fact that their baby would be racially mixed hadn't either. If they weren't married, then technically, their child would be considered a bastard. With all the women having children out of wedlock these days, she didn't think about that one as well. Rena's comments caused something in her to snap because she had attacked _their_ _baby_. The only color she saw at that moment was red. Stephanie launched herself across the table and dove on top of Rena.

"_Get her_, Aunt Stephanie!" Ian cheered. The half-breed comment was not lost on the twins either. Their father was also white.

"Get this crazy bitch off of me!" Rena cried out. Raoul and Jose had let go of Ranger and were now pulling Stephanie off Rena.

"I don't care what you say to me….." Stephanie hissed at her while pointing a finger in her face, "….but don't you _ever_ insult my child! Do you understand me?"

"Mama! Get this crazy bitch out of here!" Rena demanded. "Did you see what she did? She attacked me."

"Rena….." Maria dropped her head into her hands, "…just go to your room." Rena started to open her mouth to protest. "_Please_!"

"I _knew_ it was a mistake coming back here," Rena muttered as she did what she was told. "You _always_ take his side on everything." Ranger's anger had been temporarily squashed by the surprise attack on his sister. He came up behind Stephanie and pulled her to him.

"You okay, Babe?" he whispered in her ear. The reality of what just happened came crashing down around her. Oh my God! She just embarrassed herself and Ranger in front of his family! She disrespected Maria and Raoul by fighting with their daughter….in their house! Shit! Once again, she broke down.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry," she forced out between sobs. Ranger turned her around and held her tight. Maria reached for Stephanie, but Raoul put his hand on her shoulder. He gave her a nod before he pulled Stephanie to him.

"Thank you," he told her. Stephanie frowned.

"H-huh?"

"Stephanie….Rena's had that coming for a long time. We've been part of the problem. Too many times, we've let her behavior go." He shot Maria a knowing look. "She has to learn that there are consequences to her behavior." She felt his body shake with laughter. "I'll bet you gave her something to think about."

"Stephanie….we aren't mad at you," Maria told her softly. "I'm the one who's embarrassed. I mean…every time I've invited you to our home, you have been insulted by my own blood. I'm the one who is sorry."

"She _totally_ kicked Aunt Rena's ass," Mike told Ian. Maria rolled her eyes.

"What did I tell you two about that _kicking ass_ talk?" Maria yelled at them. She went to survey the table because she assumed that there would be food spilled everywhere.

"How about we finish dinner?" Raoul told them. "I'm hungry."

"Oh my God," Maria breathed a sigh of relief. The basket of rolls was the only thing to take a hit. Ranger smiled when he saw what his mother was looking at.

"She would never do anything to hurt the food," Ranger joked. That got Stephanie to finally smile. She helped Maria put the rolls back in the basket.

"These are still good," she told everyone as they took their seats. Ranger leaned in close.

"You never disappoint, Babe," he told her.

The rest of the dinner went by without incident. Rena stayed in her room much to Stephanie's relief. Although Raoul and Maria apologized to her a hundred times, she still felt awful. And, Ranger noticed how uncharacteristically quiet she was on the drive home.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She shook her head no. She really just wanted to forget about it. Denial was currently her best friend.

Ranger wasn't sure what exactly had set her off like that. When he jumped up, choking his sister was the first thing that came to _his_ mind. He was furious about the comment that he married everyone that he knocked up. What if Stephanie believed that? Then, she accused Stephanie of trying to trap him. Ranger was actually glad that Stephanie put his sister in her place. It was a long time coming, too. His father was right. They never condoned her behavior, but sure as hell didn't do much to stop it. His mother felt guilty. Then, his father didn't want to upset his mother by fighting with her about it. But, if Stephanie didn't want to talk about it now, he was going to give her some space. In a comforting gesture, he rested his hand on her thigh. They were almost to Trenton before she spoke.

"Carlos…I'm sorry I embarrassed you in front of your family," she told him softly as she slowed to drive through the EZ-Pass lane.

"I'm the one who's embarrassed. I mean…how do you think I feel? My own sister attacking the woman I love. And, it's not the first time it happened either, Babe."

"_I_ should have kept my mouth shut. _I_ started it," she insisted.

"No Stephanie…._Rena_ started it. _You_ just…ended it." She could see him smiling out of the corner of her eye.

"You know…I could handle the comments about me. I didn't like them but…look who they were coming from. But, when she made the _half-breed_ comment…." She trailed off and shook her head. "And, then calling the baby a bastard? I don't know what happened. One minute, she's giving me this shit-eating grin, then the next minute, you're holding me trying to calm me down." So that was it, Ranger said to himself. Not that Stephanie was racist, but being white, she probably never had to deal with those issues on a personal level in her entire life. She was incredibly loyal and fiercely protective of those she loved.

"Does it bother you that our child is racially mixed?" She whipped her head to face him.

"You think _that_ bothers me?" she asked him incredulously. He immediately shook his head. "Carlos…if that did bother me…I wouldn't be with you to begin with."

"I know that, Babe. That's not what I meant." She relaxed. Damn hormones. She really needed some Prozac or something.

"She _attacked_ our child. She can say whatever she wants about me. But don't _ever_ talk about my…_our_ child like that!" Ranger smiled. Ah…the momma bear has finally awakened. "When I first found out I was pregnant….I thought about not having it." Ranger stiffened at this comment. That was a touchy subject with him. He begged Rachel to get an abortion. Even though it took a while, he regretted that ever since. So, to hear that Stephanie thought about it with their child, it was a little hurtful. "But then, I realized that this child was a part of you that was growing inside me. I was still scared, but deep down, I wanted this baby. Because this baby was from you and me." He felt the same way. And God knows, he loved any part of him inside her.

"I'm proud of you, Babe. I know you don't believe it, but you are going to make an amazing mom. I feel sorry for any kids on the playground that pick on our child. Supermom will kick all their asses." She rolled her eyes.

"You can really be a jerk sometimes." Ranger snickered.

"Yeah…but you love me anyway." She shrugged her shoulders.

"I do love you," she agreed then muttered under her breath, "Jerk."

"And, look on the bright side, Babe. The boys don't think of you as a porn star anymore." She groaned.

"Yeah….like calling me _the Waterboy_ is so much better."

Stephanie checked in with Hector. The talk on the Embrace the Night website still showed that Drusilla, Satan's Only Son, and Son of Vlad were still planning to hang out at Flux on Monday night. They went over some more notes, then, she just wanted to call it a night. She and Ranger were going shopping tomorrow for something to wear to the awards dinner on Wednesday. Then, she guessed she had to tell her family about getting engaged. Ranger had stopped off on 5. Ivy was riding with Junior and Zero on a patrol, so she took a quick shower before burying herself under the covers.

Ranger didn't think he was on 5 that long. He was disappointed to see that Stephanie was already asleep. He desperately wanted to wake her up to make love again. But, he'd be the first one to jump all over her if she wasn't getting enough rest. He took a quick shower before joining her in the bed. He must have fallen into a deep and dreamless sleep because he was awakened at 5:30 by the sounds of Stephanie throwing up in the bathroom. He checked on her before getting her tea and crackers. Ranger was all about routine, but this was one routine that he wished they didn't have down pat. Selma said this was normal, but it didn't make him any less worried. He hated that she looked so pale and wiped out. He hated when she apologized to him for waking him up. After she brushed teeth, he helped her back to bed. She seemed more unsteady on her feet than usual.

"I'll be okay," she assured him. The tea and crackers didn't stay down long. She knew he was going to have a cow over this. The concern was written all over his usually blank face. Her stomach finally settled down. "I think it's just my nerves. I'm still a little upset about last night."

"You didn't do anything wrong," he insisted.

"It doesn't matter….I still _feel_ bad about the whole thing." He pulled her to him and rubbed her back. It wasn't long before she fell back to sleep.

About an hour later, Ranger's cell phone rang waking them both. Ranger didn't realize that he had dozed off as well. It was Mike McSweeny. There were jewelry and money missing from one of their big accounts, and Rangeman was getting the blame. "Shit," Ranger muttered under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Stephanie asked. Ranger put up a finger and kept talking.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. I'll call you back with my flight information." He closed his phone. "I have to go to Boston. There was a robbery, and Rangeman is getting blamed. There's a meeting set up for tomorrow with the client, and I need to be there." He hated to leave her. Something always seemed to happen to her when he went out of town. "Come with me, Babe."

"I can't. I have to get something to wear for Wednesday. And, I've got stuff to do for the Rasmussen case." He sighed but nodded.

"I'll be back on Tuesday the latest." He kissed her forehead. "I've got to make the travel arrangements." She nodded. "Can I get you anything?"

"No…you take care of business. I have to get up anyway," she yawned. Ranger went to his office to book his flight while she headed to the bathroom.

Ranger had to leave in a few hours to catch his noon flight to Boston. The only other option was a 9 PM flight. That wouldn't have given him enough time to be debriefed by the men, listen to and watch the tapes, and work on the meeting with the client. He could tell Stephanie was nervous about telling her family by herself. He knew he should be with her but had no choice. "You going to be okay telling your parents by yourself?" She nodded.

"I'll be fine. I have to go shopping today. I'll give Lula a call. I don't think she has a dress yet for the dinner either." He took out a plum Amex card and put it in her hand.

"Here….just get whatever you need." She looked down at the card.

"A _Plum_ card?"

"I couldn't help it." He grinned from ear to ear. She kissed his nose.

"Carlos…I'm starting to get the idea that you are a closeted romantic." He shrugged.

"When it comes to you…I surprise even myself." He popped a piece of cantaloupe in his mouth. "I've got to talk to Tank before I go. I'll be back in a bit."

After saying their goodbyes, Ranger left for the airport, and Stephanie went to meet Lula. "I can't wait for Wednesday," Lula told her. "I never been to no fancy awards dinner before. I can't wait to see Tank in a tux." Then, she gave Stephanie a sly grin. "And, I can't wait to see him _out_ of that tux. I'm gonna lick him like a popsicle!" Stephanie groaned.

"Lula! Please," she begged. "It's really unsettling to think of Tank like that."

"Aw Girl…I'm just playin'," Lula replied. The sun glistened off Stephanie's ring. She emitted the high-frequency big foot mating call again and tried to grab Stephanie's left hand. This normally would not have presented a problem except Stephanie was currently driving on Route 1. She swerved into oncoming traffic because she jumped when Lula screamed. Then, she narrowly avoided hitting an 18 wheeler when Lula grabbed her hand.

"Lula!" Stephanie screamed.

"Girl…..lemme see that ring!" Lula was all over her. Stephanie kept smacking Lula's hands away but safely got to the side of the road. "I can't believe you gonna marry Batman!" Lula practically pulled Stephanie's arm out of the socket after she put the truck in park. Lula drooled all over Stephanie's left hand.

"Not if you get me killed first!" Lula released her death grip on Stephanie, and Stephanie massaged her left shoulder.

"When did Batman pop the question?"

"Are you going to attack me anymore?" Lula waved her off.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me right away." Stephanie pulled back onto the highway and continued to Quakerbridge Mall.

"He asked me Friday night. We were talking about plans for the future, and he got the ring from his safe and asked me to marry him." She glanced down at the ring. "I don't know if I was more surprised that he asked me, or that I _actually_ said yes."

"That mother fucker must have cost him a arm and a leg. And, half his fine ass, too! Well, maybe _just_ his ass cause his ass would fetch a good price. He done good," Lula said. "Wait! You said he had the ring already?" She nodded.

"He bought it when we were in Miami. He decided he was going to ask me when his contract was up, but he just felt like it was the right time." Stephanie sighed. "I hope he doesn't feel obligated."

"Why? 'Cause you havin' the Batbaby?" Stephanie shrugged but nodded. "Pfft! Just 'cause he knocked you up don't mean he gotta marry you. Nobody gets married 'cause a _that_ nowadays."

"That's true," Stephanie conceded. "I'm just worried because he never did relationships before. What if one day he wakes up and decides family life isn't for him?"

"People can change, ya know. Look at me. I used to be a ho. Now…I'm a kick ass bounty hunter. And, I look fine!"

"You're right, Lula. I have to stop second guessing everything. I mean…if something bad is going to happen, there is nothing I can do about it anyway. It's stupid to worry about what _might_ happen. I just need to focus on what I have right now," she agreed. Now, if she could truly get herself to believe that, she'd be all set.

Lula surprised Stephanie with the dresses she picked out to bring into the dressing room. They were fairly conservative. "I wanta to make a good impression. These ol' folk at the American Legion might not appreciate my style." They settled on a leopard print tea-length dress. It had a somewhat modest neckline and ¾ sleeves.

"Lula….you look stunning." Lula appraised herself in the mirror.

"Tank ain't gonna know what hit 'em." Lula went to change while Stephanie tried on her dresses. After the sixth dress, she still didn't like any of them. "What's the matter? They all looked good."

"I don't know. I'm just not feeling any of these. I _knew_ this would happen. Carlos gave me his credit card, and I can't find anything I like," she whined. "Which one did you like?" Lula rifled through the rack. She pulled out a black dress with the handkerchief skirt. It was backless and tied around the neck with a silver-sequined choker collar.

"I can't wear that. I won't be able to wear a bra with that. My boobs are sore all the time. I need the support." She put that one back and looked through the rack again.

"Here….this one is perfect." She handed her the periwinkle dress. It had long sleeves. Stephanie shook her head.

"That one looks like a bridesmaid dress." Lula huffed and put that one back.

"You are being difficult here." She came to the last dress. It was deep royal blue. It was sleeveless with a boat neckline. It also had an empire waist and long straight skirt with a slit up the back. "Try this one." Stephanie took the dress and slipped into the dressing room. She came back out a few minutes later. "Girl…." She smacked her lips. "We have a winner." It didn't look like much on the hanger, but Stephanie looked amazing in it. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled.

"Lula….I think you're right." They purchased their dresses then moved on to the shoe department. After finding the right shoes, it was time for lunch.

"So, what did your parents say?" Lula asked her.

"About what?"

"You haven't told them yet?" Stephanie shook her head.

"I'm going to tell them tonight. We went to Carlos' parents for dinner last night. He was coming with me, but that thing came up in Boston. I know my mom is going to make such a big deal of this."

"It _is_ a big deal. Ain't you happy about getting married?"

"Well…yeah. I mean I don't know _when_ we are getting married. I don't want to turn this into a circus. I've done the fancy wedding thing. We've both been married before. I'd love to just run off and elope, but I'd never hear the end of it," Stephanie explained.

"Don't you want to get married before you have the baby?"

"Well…if we're getting married because we love each other than it doesn't matter _when_ we get married. I don't know. Right now…I'm still getting used to the idea of being engaged. Hell…I'm still getting used to the idea that I'm pregnant."

"What does Ranger want?"

"Um…he said whatever I want is fine. After things settle down, we'll talk about it. I know he was married by a Justice of the Peace last time. I don't even know if he'd want a big wedding. But, I know his family would want to be there, too. Maybe we can get married at City Hall and just have a dinner party or something? We'll see. But don't worry, you're invited." Lula smiled.

"I can be your Maid of Honor. I'm sure Ranger will have Tank as his Best Man," she offered. Stephanie gave her a nervous smile.

"Well, I'd have to ask my sister to be my Maid of Honor. Or Matron of Honor…whatever she wants to call it. But, I would have you as a bridesmaid."

"I knew you wouldn't let me down, White Girl. Or, should I call you Batgirl from now on!"

"Are you ready for tomorrow night?" Lula brightened.

"Oh yeah. I am going to look better than Elvira! She didn't have all this fabulousness like I do. We are gonna totally expose their night stalkin' asses!" Stephanie laughed.

"I hope we blend in. It might totally blow our cover if we stand out." They finished their shopping, and Stephanie dropped Lula off at her apartment. She drove back to Haywood to drop off her purchases and pick up Ivy. She stopped off on 6 to let Ella know that she would be having dinner at her parents. And, to give her the good news. Of course, Ella and Luis were thrilled.

"I am so happy for the both of you," she told her giving her a kiss and a hug.

"Well, I have you to thank. I remembered what you said about marriage being wonderful with the right person. I mean…I'm still a little nervous, but I love him and want to be with him," Stephanie explained. "We told Carlos' family last night. I'm off to tell my family now."

"Have you two thought about a date?" Stephanie shook her head no.

"Could be this year….could be in five years. I haven't even begun to think about that yet. I just need time to adjust to this." She held up her left hand.

"It's such a beautiful ring. Ranger has good taste. It's so you," Ella said while admiring the ring again. Stephanie gave her a quick kiss and hug.

"I gotta go. The sooner I get there…the sooner I can leave. Good night, Luis!" She waved to him before turning to go. She took the elevator to the garage, and she and Ivy drove to her parents. Her cell rang. It was Ranger.

"Yo!"

"Yo yourself, Babe. Heading to your parents?"

"Yeah. I brought Ivy for reinforcement. How are things going?" She heard him sigh. "That good, huh?"

"Well, sort of good. It doesn't look like my staff stole from the client. I just stopped to have dinner. Then, we've got more tapes to review. I want to convince the _client_ that we didn't steal from him. But, at least I know I can trust my men. I have to protect Rangeman's reputation. Did you find a dress?"

"Yes. I had to have Lula pick something out for me. I just couldn't find anything. Wait till you see what Lula's going to wear!" Ranger groaned. "No…it's not bad. She's going to look…different. You won't even recognize her." Ranger relaxed. He wanted Lula to come because Tank seemed to be taken with her. He found someone special so how could he stand in the way of his best friend? That…and she was friends with Stephanie.

"Can't wait," he laughed. "I'm going out to dinner with Mac. I'll give you a call later. I love you."

"Love you, too." They disconnected. She pulled up in front of her parents' house and parked. She drew in a deep breath and slowly blew it out. "Here goes nothing."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Stephanie was greeted by her father who was at his post in his favorite chair watching the game. "Hi Daddy." He smiled.

"Hey, Pumpkin. Carlos not with you?" She shook her head. Ivy trotted over to greet him.

"No. He had to leave for Boston today. A problem with an account or something," she explained.

"Stephanie! Where's that Cuban hottie?" Grandma Mazur asked as she came from the kitchen. Stephanie kept her hands in her pockets to hide the engagement ring. She wanted to make only one announcement. And, Val and the girls hadn't arrived yet. Then, the overwhelming smell of the cabbage rolls washed over her. Normally, this would have smelled like heaven. Today, it smelled like hell. She didn't even think to ask what her mother was making. They hadn't been over there for dinner since Ranger got back from North Carolina. Without thinking, she put her left hand over her mouth. Grandma Mazur's eyesight was sharp enough to rival Maria's. "Oh my God! You got engaged!" Frank jumped up, and Helen magically appeared in the doorway.

"Um…yeah." Frank pulled her into a bear hug.

"Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Daddy." Helen and Grandma Mazur were elbowing each other out of the way to get a better look at the ring.

"So…when did _this_ happen?" Helen demanded.

"Um…Friday night. Carlos sort of surprised me. We already had plans to have dinner with his parents on Saturday, so I thought we'd surprise you with the news tonight." Stephanie hoped her mother would buy that.

"When are you getting married?"

"I don't know yet, Mom. We haven't talked about that part." Helen inspected the ring again. "Aren't you happy for us?" Helen recoiled.

"Well, of course I'm happy for you, Stephanie. I mean Carlos _is_ the baby's father, and it's only _appropriate_ that you two get married. We have a lot to do. I'm sure you'll want to get married before the baby is born. I need to call the Church….oh wait! You can't get married in the Church because you're divorced. And, we'll need the hall. I have to know when to book the hall…." Stephanie frantically waved her hands in front of her.

"Mom! I don't know _when_ we're going to get married. We might wait till _after_ the baby's born." The cabbage smell got a little stronger, and the familiar twinge of nausea reared its ugly head.

"You need to get married _before_ you have the baby, Stephanie. You don't want to have a child out of wedlock…do you? It's bad enough that you got yourself pregnant in the first place." Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"I might have had a little help with that one," she muttered under her breath. Her stomach began to really rebel against the offending stench of cabbage.

"Helen!" Frank yelled at her. Helen softened.

"I didn't mean it _that_ way. Just that she wasn't married when she got pregnant. I didn't mean that it's a _bad thing_ that she's having a baby. That's still my grandchild in there," Helen corrected herself. She noticed that Stephanie looked a tad sage. "What's wrong?"

"Bathroom!" Stephanie covered her mouth again and bolted for the bathroom. Fortunately, she made it to the bowl before she erupted.

"See, Helen," Grandma Mazur scolded, "you made her sick."

"I didn't _mean_ too. Stephanie, I'm sorry. I _am_ that happy you are getting married. Carlos is a nice young man. Are you alright?" Stephanie stomach didn't want to cooperate. The cabbage smell permeated the house. Holding her nose seemed to help. "What's wrong with your nose?"

"Nothing. The cabbage smell is a little…..overwhelming," she told her. "I'm just going to step outside for a minute to get some air."

"Frank…open the windows," Helen ordered. Frank did as he was told. Helen grabbed some ginger ale and saltines from the kitchen. "Mother…keep an eye on dinner. I'll be right back." Stephanie was sitting on the front steps. "Here….this should help."

"Thanks." She sipped the ginger ale and took a saltine.

"Stephanie…you have to understand that having a baby out of wedlock is a sensitive subject for me," Helen sighed. Stephanie glanced at her mother. She stared out into space as if remembering something. After a few seconds, Helen realized she was waiting for her to continue. She gave Steph a dismissive wave. "I mean, it was looked down upon in my generation. Girls were sent away during their pregnancies, and the babies were given up for adoption. It brought a lot of shame to their families. Things are different now, but that's how I was taught. I'm _not_ ashamed of you." Okay, Stephanie thought, the pod people are back. She didn't exactly say she was proud of her either, but it was a start.

"That means a lot to me, Mom. I know I haven't exactly been a model daughter…but, I want us to get along better," Stephanie replied. Helen nodded.

"It's not entirely your fault. But, I wish you would have said that you were more sensitive to smells. I would have made something else," Helen said, changing the subject. Stephanie smirked and took another sip of the ginger ale.

"I honestly didn't think about it, Mom. I've been throwing up every morning. It's only been a few times that smells got to me." Helen nodded.

"Did I hear you say that Carlos is not coming?"

"He had an emergency up in Boston. He left a few hours ago." Helen rose.

"I have to check on dinner. Are you going to be able to eat? Should I make something else for you?"

"I think I'll be okay with the pork and potatoes, but I'm gonna pass on the cabbage." Helen gently squeezed Stephanie shoulder before going back in the house. Maybe there was hope for the two of them after all?

The rest of the evening went smoothly. Due to the lingering smell of cabbage, Stephanie didn't stay much longer after dinner. Valerie screamed when she saw the ring. Angie and Mary Alice were equally excited.

"Can I call him, Uncle Carlos, now?" Mary Alice asked grinning from ear to ear. "I like Carlos a lot. He's nice to me and has a great package. Right, Grandma Mazur?" Helen crossed herself and made a beeline for the whiskey. Frank groaned. Valerie gasped. Stephanie and Grandma Mazur just smiled. Ranger _did_ have a great package, Stephanie thought, who was she to argue?

Although Stephanie was exhausted when she got back to Haywood, she still tried to call Inga. Voicemail again. Sighing, she left another message begging Inga to call her. She curled up on the couch with Ivy to watch TV. She figured it was a little too early to call Ranger. He was probably busy with Mac getting ready for their meeting tomorrow. In some way, she was glad he had something to do. Working gave him a sense of worth. She knew there were a lot of things bothering him. Maybe keeping busy was Ranger's form of denial. It was easier for him to keep himself busy and not have to deal with things he didn't want to. She just flat out denied things and liked to pretend they didn't happen. She didn't realize that she had dozed off until her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Were you sleeping?" Her voice sounded husky. Damn, Ranger thought. He hated that he woke her.

"That's okay. I fell asleep watching TV with Ivy. I'm glad you called. How are things going?"

"Better. I think the meeting will go well tomorrow. But, I still won't be home until Tuesday. How'd your parents take the news?"

"Um…good actually. Mary Alice can't wait to call you Uncle Carlos. She likes you because you're nice to her and have a great package." Ranger grimaced. He could hear her giggling. "Well? You do. I couldn't argue."

"Babe."

"But, everyone was happy for us. My mother is pushing for a date because of all the planning that goes into a wedding. And, we had a nice mother-daughter moment. So…I'd have to say it went pretty well." They chatted for a while before saying goodbye. Stephanie decided to change into yoga pants and one of Ranger's tee shirts to get comfortable. She wanted to check out any new postings on that vampire site. Before settling back on the couch, there was a knock at the door. Ella brought her some freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Thank God _that_ wasn't a smell that made her sick.

"Since Ranger was going to be out of the office tomorrow, I decided to do a little baking for the boys. I thought you and the baby might like a little snack," she told her. Stephanie immediately stuffed a cookie into her mouth and moaned.

"I wuf ooh, Ehwa," she responded with a mouth full of the warm decadent goodness. Ella kissed her cheek and bid her goodnight. She made herself a large glass of chocolate milk, placed a handful of cookies on a plate, and settled back on the couch with her laptop.

_He grabbed her hips to sync their rhythm as she moved up and down on him. He felt her tighten around him causing him to come like a freight train. Pausing a moment to catch his breath, he slid his hands over her swollen belly. What?_

"_Babe?" The laugh was not hers._

"_She won't be your Babe for long." He looked up to see that it was Jeanne Ellen that straddled him. She pulled off a blonde wig. By the size of her stomach, she looked to be about 8 months pregnant._

"_Jesus!" He shoved her off him and scrambled out of the bed._

"_Is that any way to treat the future mother of your child, Ranger?" This can't be happening, he thought over and over in his mind. Stephanie would never forgive him for this. Jeanne Ellen looked past him and waved. Ranger turned to see Stephanie in the doorway. The pained and shocked expression on her face almost brought him to his knees._

"_How could you?" Stephanie whispered. "I trusted you. You're just like all the rest!" She pulled off her engagement ring and flung it at him before running out of the room._

"_Babe!" He pulled on a pair of sweat pants he found laying on the floor._

"_You might as well forget her, Ranger. She's gone….forever." Ranger ran through the door. He found himself in the woods. _

"_Babe!" He could hear her crying in the distance. "Please wait!" He headed in the direction of her cries. They were drowned out by the whirling sounds of helicopter blades. "No! Don't get on it!" He could see a clearing up ahead and sprinted towards it. There was an explosion and fire ball that lit the night sky. The heat from the flames warmed his skin. As he emerged through the opening of the clearing, he came upon the horrific crash site. Pieces of metal were strewn about the ground. A few bodies lay there like rag dolls tossed from a speeding car. The main fuselage sat in a crumpled heap at the other edge of the clearing. A sense of déjà vu washed over him. Small fires littered the open space. There was an eerie quiet and stillness. Ranger didn't seem to have control over his body. It was like he was looking down on the whole scene. He moved slowly towards the wreckage. All efforts to move faster were useless. Pushing forward on rubber legs that threatened to collapse at any second, the wreckage seemed so far away._

_It felt like an eternity before he got to the downed chopper. The pilot was dead. Opening the door, the orange glow from the fires illuminated the tangle of bodies inside. Ranger staggered backward. He turned to lean against the wreck to support himself. That was when he saw her. Stephanie was lying on her side, her back to him. Once again, forward progress seemed to slow down. His heart pounded in his chest as he knelt down next to her. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. "Babe?" No answer. He cupped her chin and turned her body gently to face him. Her lifeless eyes stared back as his. He shook her forcibly trying to wake her. "BABE!" She was dead._

"Noooooo!" Ranger screamed as he bolted upright in bed. Trembling, he felt his heart pounding in his ears. The sheets were soaked with sweat. It took a few seconds to realize that he was in his Boston apartment. It was only a dream. He dropped his face into his hands. "Jesus." Just another fucking dream, he told himself. She's alive…it wasn't real. That was the worst one yet. He couldn't get Stephanie's lifeless eyes out of his head. He dragged himself to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. It was 2:00 AM. Sleep was not going to happen. There was no way he was going to walk the halls here. He was getting enough shit for it in Trenton. Ranger decided to take a long hot shower to help him relax.

Ranger didn't remember much about the actual crash. He was shown several pictures of the site during the inquest. Those pictures included the bodies of the soldiers. _His_ soldiers. The memory of Stephanie's beautiful eyes that were void of life was burned into his brain. Ranger grabbed the bottle out of the cabinet and poured himself a shot of tequila. He downed it and poured another. He felt the warmth trickle down into his belly. Before he helped himself to another, he put the bottle away. He had to call her. He needed to hear her voice. Nothing else was going to put him at ease.

It took a minute for Stephanie to recognize it was the phone that was making that annoying sound. She was still on the couch with the computer on her stomach and Ivy at her feet. It was the house phone and not her cell. She didn't know the number on the caller ID, so she answered it cautiously.

"Hello?"

"Sorry to wake you, Babe." She glanced at the clock. It was 2:15 AM.

"Carlos? What's wrong?" His stomach tightened with a twinge of guilt from hearing the panic in her voice.

"Nothing. I didn't mean to scare you. I….I just wanted to hear your voice." Stephanie frowned.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"You had another nightmare…didn't you?" Ranger dropped his head against the back of the couch. That was an understatement.

"Yeah." Stephanie reached for a cookie.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Stephanie sighed. No, of course he wouldn't tell her. He refused to share his feelings with her. Something was going on, and he was keeping it from her. He loved her, but he didn't trust her enough to tell her things. She zoomed from worried to pissed off like the flip of a switch.

"Fine. I didn't think so. Look, I'm sorry you had a bad dream. I don't know why you even bothered to call me if you won't talk to me about it. Try to go back to sleep. I hear warm milk helps. I'll talk to you tomorrow." She slammed the phone down and flopped back on the couch. Taking another bite of her cookie, the tears began to flow. Partly because she was hurt that he wouldn't confide in her and partly because she just felt like shit for yelling at him.

"Damn it," Ranger muttered under his breath. What the hell was he thinking? He woke her up in the middle of the night and wouldn't tell her what's on his mind? But, what was he going to say? That he dreamt that he was fucking Jeanne Ellen who was pregnant with his baby, and that she died? He rushed back to the kitchen and poured himself another shot. Then, he called Stephanie again.

Stephanie wasn't surprised he called back. She was torn between yelling at him and apologizing to him. She grabbed the phone off the coffee table and answered it. Before she could even say hello, Ranger spoke.

"Warm milk?"

"That's what I've heard." She heard him sigh.

"It was really bad."

"Was it about the crash?"

"Sort of. I don't remember all of it, but we had a fight. You threw the ring back at me and ran off." He paused to take a deep breath again. "I was chasing after you through these woods, but you had gotten in the helicopter. Um…it crashed." She winced.

"Oh." She didn't know what to say. She thought it would be best just to let him talk. She grabbed another cookie.

"Well…I found you by the wreck and…um…." He trailed off again. It was several minutes before he continued. "You were dead."

"Wow. Sounds scary."

"I know it was a dream, but I just needed to hear your voice. Just had to make sure you were okay." He was on pins and needles waiting for her to reply.

"I'm glad you did call me, Carlos. I mean…I'm here for you as much as you are there for me. Thank you for sharing that with me."

"I'm not used to sharing my feelings with anyone, Babe. Sharing my love with you comes easy. But, talking about my feelings is a different story. Well that….and the fact I didn't want to upset you." She smiled. They were having a baby together, and going to get married, but they still had so much more to learn about each other.

"I hate that you're so far away, Carlos. I wish there was something I could do for you," she sighed. He thought for a minute. There was one thing, but he felt almost silly to ask her. This was something he needed to work on because Stephanie needed to know that their relationship wasn't one sided. He got just as much from her as she did from him.

"Would you sing to me?" There was silence. "Babe?" Then, he could hear her sniffle.

"You want me to sing to you?" She was choked up because of his request. It touched her heart.

"Yeah….would you?" She glanced over at the piano. She put the phone on speaker.

"I've got a better idea." He heard the tinkling of the piano. She started to play the song she wrote for him for Christmas. [A/N: remember this was the Evanescence song _Good Enough_-from How Things Change] He loved that song. Then, she played a Blondie song called _Faces_ that he wasn't familiar with. He put his phone on speaker as well. He laid back on the couch and got comfortable. He was relaxed and at ease just from listening to her sweet voice. She finished up with _Home Sweet Home_ by Motley Crue and _Nobody Does It Better_ by Carly Simon. "That song always reminds me of you." He grinned so wide he thought his face would crack.

"Thank you, Babe. I'll never get over how amazing you are. As much as I'd like you to play for me all night, you and the baby need your sleep." She grabbed another cookie.

"I'll play more songs if you want me to. I can sleep in and be late for work tomorrow. I'm sleeping with the boss and can get away with anything," she joked. Ranger smirked.

"No…that did the trick. Thank you. You really did make me feel better. I might actually be able to go back to sleep now. I love you so much, Stephanie."

"I wuf oo too," she replied with a mouthful of cookie. She swallowed quickly. "I love you too, Carlos. Sorry…I'm eating a…._carrot stick_." Yeah…like he's going to believe that. She heard him laughing.

"Sure, Babe. Just don't get chocolate all over the phone. Go back to sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow." They finished their goodbyes and disconnected. She looked at the last two cookies on the plate. No sense in leaving them alone. They would probably want to join the others. She made another glass of chocolate milk to wash them down. It was almost 3:00. She had a feeling she was going to regret her little…well not _that_ little snack in a few hours. She closed up her laptop, finished off her cookies and milk, and then went to bed. She felt like they made a huge break through tonight. She knew she had put up walls and was working on tearing them down. It was an eye opener to realize that he had put up walls as well. It was almost as if Ranger needed her. Thinking about that made her smile.

Ranger stayed on the couch. The anxiety was gone. He felt completely at ease. His mind replayed the music in his head. It wasn't long before he drifted off into a deep and dreamless sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Lester got up early to go for a run. He got about half way down the block when he did a double take. He could have sworn he just ran past the #2 mobile. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. "Holy Shit," he muttered. Sure enough, that piece of shit was parked just outside the exterior cameras' range. It looked even worse than he remembered it. How the hell did that get there? The keys were in the ignition. He grabbed the keys and ran back inside. Taking the stairs, he ran up the four flights and banged on Tank's door. It didn't take Tank long to open the door because he was getting ready to head to the gym himself. "Man…you're not going to believe this," Lester huffed, out of breath from sprinting up the stairs. He told Tank about the car.

"_What_?" He yanked on a sweatshirt and rammed his feet in his sneakers. They ran up to the Control Room. "Pull up the tapes from the cameras out front," he demanded. Zip played the recordings as asked. There was nothing except an unusual cloud of smoke that blew past Camera One at 4:37 AM. Tank shook his head. "I don't know how that thing got back here, but we need to get it outta here ASAP."

"Maybe it missed her," Lester muttered. Zip and Junior snickered. Tank shot him a look. "Well…this _is_ Stephanie's car we're talking about. If it comes back again and starts _repairing_ itself, I'm outta here."

"You drive that thing back to Romano's right this second. I'll follow you over there. We need to get it the hell outta here before Bombshell sees it," Tank instructed.

"Oh yeah…like she's going to be up this early," Lester grumbled as he looked at his watch. Tank raised his eyebrows. "I'm just saying," he added holding his hands up. They took the stairs down to the garage. Lester reluctantly got in the #2 mobile. It still had that weird smell. The damn thing amazed him by starting up right away. Then….BANG! His heart practically jumped into his throat, and he bit his tongue as his body jerked. Fucking piece of shit. The black cloud engulfed the car and poured inside. Choking on the smoke, he wiped the trickle of blood off his chin before pulling the car into the road. Half way there, a black cat ran in front on him, and he slammed on the brakes. Lester's face smashed against the windshield as his chest hit the steering wheel. He fell backwards as the seat dropped back into place. He shook his head to get the cobwebs out and rubbed his chest. "_God_ _damn fucking piece of shit!_" He slammed his fist into the bench seat. The rearview mirror fell onto his lap. Sighing, he placed it on the dash board then continued to Romano's.

If the car wasn't so unsafe for Bombshell to drive, it would actually be kind of fun to keep that piece of shit around. Tank smiled at the thought of him suggesting that to Ranger. Ranger lost his sense of humor when it came to her. Well, where her safety was concerned anyway. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when Ranger surprised her with the new Mustang. He wasn't sure how she was going to react. A person could never tell with Bombshell. Hell, she didn't want him to get a car for her after the Roadrunner but took the Escape pretty well. Hey, she agreed to marry him. She would have to expect that a wealthy and successful husband would buy expensive things for his wife. Even if she did put up a fuss at first, she'd get over it.

Tom Barnwell was just opening up Romano's when Lester pulled into the lot. The sound of a gunshot followed by the smoke got his attention. He saw Lester emerge from the fog.

Lester prayed that was the last time he'd hear that stupid car backfire and see and smell the toxic cloud it would emit. "Good morning, Lester. Did you guys change your mind about the car?" Lester shook his head.

"Uh…no. It's seems this piece of shit got homesick." Tom frowned. "It was parked on the street just down the block from the office. We found it this morning." Tom scratched his forehead.

"Hmm… I could have sworn I locked it up and put the keys in the office. I was so busy on Saturday, maybe I forgot. I'm sorry about that. Could have been some kids playing a prank or something," Tom mused. Lester shrugged.

"The sooner you crush this thing the better," Lester said. Tank pulled into the lot.

"I should have that part today. Hope to be up and running the compactor either Tuesday or Wednesday. I hope this didn't cause you any trouble."

"Nah," Lester laughed. "Did freak me out a little bit. Didn't expect to see _this _ugly thing again." He handed the keys to Tom then shook his hand. "I'll see you around. Say hi to Tommy for me." Lester jogged to the SUV and climbed inside.

"What did he say?"

"He thinks it might have been some kids playing a prank. He's not sure if he locked up the keys or not. Thought he did, but was busy Saturday." They both stole one last glance at the #2 mobile before heading back to Rangeman.

Ella entered the apartment to bring up breakfast and was greeted by a very anxious Ivy. She assumed that Stephanie slept in, and Ivy needed to go out. Ella tried to put the leash on her collar, but she wouldn't sit still. Ivy ran back into the bedroom. Ella followed quietly, expecting Stephanie to be asleep in the bed. It was empty. Ivy was in the doorway to the bathroom. Now, Ella was getting an uneasy feeling. She looked in the bathroom to find Stephanie lying on the floor. "Oh my God!" First, she felt for a pulse and sighed in relief. She gently shook her. "Stephanie?" Ella ran to the phone and called Bobby. "Bobby, get up here now! I can't wake her up!"

"Be right there!" Bobby didn't even take the time to finish getting dressed and ran up to 7 in his underwear.

Ella shook her again. This time, Stephanie groaned. "Stephanie?"

"Hmm?" She opened her eyes to see a very worried Ella hovering over her. At that moment, they both looked to the doorway when they heard the commotion. Bobby ran in the room. He was only clad in a pair of very tight boxer shorts.

"What happened?" It finally dawned on Stephanie that they were all in her bathroom. She tried to sit up but felt very dizzy. "Just lay down for a second, Steph. Do you remember what happened?"

"Uh…just coming in here to throw up," she explained.

"Did you fall? Are you hurt?" She shook her head.

"No. Just dizzy. I felt too crappy to move, so I stayed in here. I guess I fell asleep again."

"I came up to bring you breakfast. When I tried to take Ivy out, she ran in here. Oh Stephanie….you _scared_ me half to death," Ella told her.

"Sorry. This is kind of a morning ritual…sorry to say. It's probably my own fault for stuffing my face in the middle of the night," Stephanie whined. They heard more people enter the apartment. Tank and Lester appeared in the doorway. This was so embarrassing.

"What happened?" Tank demanded.

"Is she alright?" Lester asked.

"I'm fine," Stephanie insisted. "Bobby? Help me up please."

"Okay, but you're going right to bed," he replied. Bobby took her hand and pulled her up. She was very unsteady on her feet. Bobby wrapped an arm around her waist and walked her over to the bed.

"Um…usually a cup of tea and saltines help," she said trying to downplay the situation.

"Of course! I'll be right back." Ella hurried to the kitchen. Stephanie looked up at the worried faces.

"Um…could someone take Ivy out? Her bladder's probably ready to burst."

"I can do that, Beautiful," Lester offered. "Come on, Girl." Ivy trotted out behind Lester. "Is she okay?" He looked to Ella as he fastened the leash. Ella sighed then smiled.

"She will be. Pregnancy can be rough at times." Lester nodded and left to take out the dog.

"Does this happen every morning, Steph?" Bobby asked.

"Sort of," she began. "I've been throwing up every morning. Sometimes at night. Some smells make me sick, too. I…" She started to tell them about talking to Ranger last night but changed her mind. "I sort of pigged out on cookies and milk about 3 o'clock this morning. It's my own fault. I should have known better." Ella returned with the tea and crackers.

"Here you go, Dear."

"Thanks Ella." Stephanie immediately sipped the tea, and then stuffed a cracker into her mouth. "I'm sorry to worry everyone. Carlos is usually the one who gets stuck dealing with this." For the first time, Bobby realized that he was practically naked and sitting in bed with his boss's fiancée.

"Look, I'm going to put some clothes on, and I'll be right back."

"Bobby, that's not necessary. I'm going to finish this and lay down for a while. Tank…I'm going to be late for work this morning." Tank smirked.

"Why don't you take the day off, Bombshell?" Tank tousled her hair.

"Can't. I've got a few things to do. Then Hector, Lula, and I are going to check out some of the vampires tonight," she explained. Bobby and Tank exchanged confused glances. Ivy ran back in the bedroom ahead of Lester. Bobby shook his head.

"I'll be right back." Lester gave Bobby the once over and snorted.

"Wait till Ranger finds out you were in bed with Stephanie in your underwear with your hotdog stand open." Bobby's eyes widen as he quickly checked out his crotch. Upon discovering that nothing was exposed, he blew out a sign of relief.

"Man…that wouldn't _even_ have been funny," Bobby said. "Ranger would have given me a dick_ectomy." _ Lester cocked his head towards the bedroom.

"She okay?" Bobby pursed his lips and nodded.

"Probably just a little dehydrated. She's been throwing up a lot. We'll see if she keeps this down before we start to panic. I'll be right back." Bobby left to get dressed.

"I'll come up and check on you in a little while. I have to get ready for the morning meeting." Tank kissed the top of her head.

"Sorry to be so much trouble," she apologized and gave him a sheepish smile. "I'm not asking you to lie to Carlos, but don't tell him about this. You know he's going to freak out because he's not here. We go through this every morning, and I know it's got him worried already." Tank nodded.

"Okay, Bombshell. If he asks me a direct question, I'll answer it. But, I won't offer anything. And, you'll tell him when he gets back…right?" She rolled her eyes.

"I'll tell him," she groaned.

"Do you think you can handle anything else? I can make you some toast," Ella asked.

"Um…actually I think toast would be good. I'm starting to get a little hungry now." Ella smiled in relief and went to the kitchen. Tank followed her out. Lester flopped on the bed with her. He grabbed a couple a crackers and popped them into his mouth. "Uh…help yourself." He gave her a lopsided smile and took some more.

"You go through this _every_ morning?" She shrugged and nodded.

"It's not always this bad. But yeah, it's becoming a morning ritual. The _joys _of being pregnant."

"Are you going to be alright?" She laughed.

"Yeah…in about six and a half months."

"Can I do anything for you?"

"Actually, you already did. Thanks for taking Ivy out for me. I'm just going to eat, then take a nap. I'll be down later." Lester nodded. He grabbed some more crackers and stood up.

"I gotta get ready for work. I'll see you later. Let me know if you need anything." He gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Thanks." Ella brought her a stack of toast and a large glass of ice tea. "You are an angel, Ella. I'm so thirsty." She practically sucked down half the glass. "That's so good." Bobby returned.

"You look a little better," he observed.

"I feel a little better."

"Does that feel like it's going to stay down?" She nodded. "Just try to drink a lot of fluids today, Steph. All that vomiting can cause dehydration. That's probably why you were so dizzy."

"Okay. Will do."

"I'll leave you alone, Stephanie. But, I'll check on you later. You call me if you need _anything_. I'll go brew you some more ice tea."

"Thanks, you guys." Bobby and Ella left. Stephanie polished off her stack of toast and ice tea before going back to sleep.

Stephanie felt much better after her rest. She hated having an audience this morning. She was so embarrassed. She felt like it made her look weak. Thank God, she was still wearing Ranger's shirt and the yoga pants. And Bobby! Oh my God, she thought. She had never even seen him with his shirt off…let alone in just a pair of tight boxer shorts. He had seen her in all her glory, but she was sure her body was nowhere near as impressive as his. She knew Ranger required all his staff to be in tip-top shape….but damn. It wasn't even 9:00 yet, so she hurried in the shower and threw herself together to get down to 5.

The Swear Jar had only made its debut on Friday. It was about three quarters of the way full already. Lucky for her, she still had a credit. Val's head popped up as she approached. "Are you okay, Steph? Tank told me what happened this morning," Val asked.

"Shit," she muttered, then clapped a hand over her mouth. Damn it. Did she just not _think_ about that fucking Swear Jar? Before Val could make a comment, she added, "I still have a credit, you know."

"I'm keeping track. You have 31 more swears left," she sighed. She pulled out a notebook from her desk and marked it down. Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"You're lucky this is for charity," she mumbled as she headed into Ranger's office.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Stephanie called Mr. Rasmussen to give him an update on his daughter. Ella appeared every couple of hours with large glasses of ice tea and various snacks. Bobby, Tank, and Lester checked in with her almost every fifteen minutes after she first got there. Once satisfied that she seemed to be okay, they left her alone. Ranger was very busy with the client but called her on a short break at lunch. She was relieved to hear that he was able to get some sleep after they spoke. Ella brought her a turkey sandwich, chicken noodle soup, and chocolate cake for lunch. She made enough for Val, so they had lunch together. If she didn't have to make the increased amount of bathroom trips from all the fluids being forced on her, she would have gotten her work done by 3 PM. Steph was pretty busy till she decided to call it quits at 5. She wanted to take a nap and rest up before going out later that night.

The meeting with Davidson's Jewelers went well. Ranger, Mac, and a few other senior staff members met with Mr. and Mrs. Davidson, their attorney, and their CEO. They reviewed the findings of the investigation and played the tapes for the client. Mr. Davidson was perplexed. "Mr. Manoso, I appreciate your attention to this matter. Your diligence to first investigate your own staff was impressive. As it appears to me, I must have an employee, maybe more, that is stealing from me. I would like your assistance with finding this person so disciplinary action can be taken. How much longer will you be in town?" he inquired. Ranger mentally sighed. He was hoping to possibly catch a late flight home to surprise Stephanie.

"I have a previous engagement early Wednesday evening, but I can stay another day. What did you have in mind?" Mr. Davidson requested that he help him review the employee records from the particular locations that were robbed. Then, he asked Ranger if he could run additional background checks or administer polygraph tests to those who were suspect. Davidson's Jewelers was a large and well known account. They had highly recommended Rangeman to other clients, so Ranger had no choice but to agree.

Ranger called Stephanie and gave her the good news about the account. "I might not get home till Wednesday afternoon," he explained. "I'm sorry this is taking so long, Babe."

"Carlos, you don't have to apologize. This is your business. I know that," she told him. He smiled.

"Are you staying out of trouble?" He could feel her roll her eyes through the phone.

"I'm trying. But, you know me."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"The Swear Jar is almost full. And, I still have a credit, too." Ranger shook his head. They continued their conversation. "You know, Carlos, you sound better."

"I _sound_ better…what do you mean?" He frowned. "You mean from last night?"

"Well…yeah. You sound more like yourself." She paused, and he heard her sigh. "I'm sorry about getting angry and hanging up on you. You called me because you were worried about me…and, I act like a bitch and hung up."

"No, Babe. I call you and wake you up, and then, I don't tell you why. I'm the one who is sorry." She heard him snicker. "The warm milk comment was pretty good." That made her smile.

"I have my moments." Now, it was his turn to smile.

"Yes, you do. Just another reason for me to love you." She looked at the clock. It was 5:30.

"I'm going to go. I want to take a nap before tonight. Hector, Lula, and I are going to check out this vampire club. Do you want me to call you when we're done? It will be really late."

"Yeah, I don't care what time it is. And while we're on the subject, I want you to call me anytime you need me. I don't care if I'm in an important meeting or with a client…whatever. Anytime, Babe. I mean it."

"That goes both ways, Carlos. That meant a lot to me that you called me last night. It made me feel that I'm not so useless."

"That's so far from the truth. We will continue this conversation when I get home because it's too important to have over the phone. Okay?"

"Okay. I love you."

"Love you more, Babe." Then, he disconnected. She smiled and shook her head. She called him back but got his voicemail.

"Jerk!" He didn't even have to look at his phone to know it was Stephanie. He grinned while he listened to her message.

Stephanie looked at herself in the mirror. "Oh my God," she muttered. She didn't even recognize herself. It had been a long time since she teased her hair that big. She had pulled back the sides into a pony tail on top of her head. Her bangs were straight. She wore large silver hoops, a studded dog collar around her neck, a black leather halter top, spandex hot pants, and black leather thigh-high boots with four inch heels. She went heavy on the charcoal and silver eye make-up and dark red lipstick. She twisted her body to get a look at the back. "Yikes!" Her back was mostly open and her cheeks slightly protruded out of the bottom of the shorts. Ranger would probably like this look on her…as long as she didn't leave their bedroom. She threw a few things into a small black leather bag. Hector was going to meet her on 5. Zero and Junior offered to watch Ivy while they were gone. She grabbed her black leather jacket and headed downstairs.

Hector was taking a verbal beating from the guys as she got off the elevator. He was dressed in black leather pants, a sleeveless mesh shirt, and cowboy boots. He went heavy on the black eyeliner and black lipstick. If the Village People ever went Goth, Hector would have been perfect. "Holy Shit!" Zero exclaimed as Junior's jaw dropped. Stephanie and Ivy walked over to them.

"That's 50 cents," she joked. Hey, that kind of felt good to be able to say it to someone else for a change.

"Looking hot, Bonita," Hector told her. She smiled and did a little twirl to show off her outfit. "You make me wish I was a lesbian." She rolled her eyes.

"Uh…_thanks_…I think."

"Where are you two going on your _date_?" Junior asked.

"Flux. There are a few people on that website that Inga was communicating with that will be there. They may know where she is. Or at least know something," she explained.

"Um..Steph?" She turned to Zero with her eyebrows raised. "Do you know your ass is hanging out?" Her hands flew to her backside.

"Is it _that_ bad?"

"Not from where I'm sitting," Junior muttered. Zero punched him in the shoulder.

"Just don't bend over," Zero added. Hector pulled on his jacket.

"Come on, Bonita. Let's go get Lula. I'm actually _dying_ to see what she's wearing."

They took the Escape, and Hector drove. Lula must have been watching for them as she emerged from her apartment building as they pulled up. "Holy Chit," Hector muttered. Holy Chit was right, Stephanie thought. Lula looked like a black, plus-sized Elvira meets Beth Chapman. She must have had about twelve inches of cleavage. Her middle was cinched with a push up leather bustier. Her breasts were perpendicular to her body. They looked like they defied the laws of nature. Lula's breasts would probably enter a room five seconds before she did. She posed and twirled before walking over to the Escape.

"Don't I look good? Those night stalkin' mother fuckers ain't gonna know what to do with me!" Stephanie took in Lula's outfit, and then surveyed Hector's. God, I hope we don't stand out, she thought.

"How are you maintaining your balance?" Stephanie asked her in shock.

"Oh…you like this? I look just like Dog the Bounty Hunter's wife….if she was black. I ordered this off her website. I figured what the hell, since I'm a kick ass bounty hunter myself." Then, Stephanie noticed the shoes, and her eyes widened.

"Are those Jeanne Ellen's shoes?" she asked Lula as she got in the back seat.

"Yeah…don't they look fine?" Stephanie whirled around to face her. "Well, I guess they look fine…I can't see my feet."

"How can you wear _those_ shoes! She's dead!"

"It's not like she's gonna be wearin' 'em now," Lula replied. "Why do you even care about that masturbatin' bitch anyways? With everything that she tried to do to you…you should be glad she never got a chance to wear these again. And…they go with my outfit." Stephanie huffed. Lula adjusted her breasts. "Damn…this is a little tight."

"But, they have _death_ cooties all over them!" Stephanie insisted. "It's really creepy. She actually had her _feet_ in those things. Maybe she'll give us bad shoe karma or something?" Lula smacked her lips.

"Girl…you been away from Batman too long," Lula waved her off and readjusted herself. "I think you just goin' through sex withdrawals or somethin'. I don't believe in no bad _shoe_ karma. Girl, there ain't no such _thang_. Maybe it was her _own_ bad karma that gave me these here shoes and got her ass killed?" Stephanie turned around and crossed her arms. "It ain't no big thing, White Girl. These shoes are gonna be good luck shoes from here on out. You just wait and see." Hector looked at Lula in the rearview mirror.

"I've never seen cleavage the size of an ass crack before," Hector joked. Stephanie rolled her eyes. "How can you breathe in that thing?"

"Sheeeit…that ain't nothin'. You should _see_ the size of my ass crack," Lula retorted. Then, she pursed her lips. "Well…it is gettin' a little hard to breathe. These babies are heavy."

"Can we get going, please?" Stephanie begged.

They pulled up to Flux. There wasn't a soul hanging around outside the club. No bouncer at the door. A few cars were parked in the area. "Are you _sure_ it's open?" Hector asked as he parked.

"It's supposed to be. Hours are 7 to 3." She looked at the entrance again. "Maybe it's not busy because it's Monday." She shrugged. Then, they exited the Escape. "I think we should split up after we get inside." She handed each of them a small photo of Inga. "Remember…we're looking for Drusilla, Satan's Only Son, and Son of Vlad. I don't know what they look like, but those are their _vampire_ names."

"Maybe we should have vampire names, too?" Lula suggested. Stephanie thought a minute.

"That sounds like a good idea…what should we call ourselves?"

"How about Freak Show?" Hector mumbled. Stephanie shot him a look.

"That's not helping, Hector."

"Okay….how 'bout Big Titty Woman…." He pointed to Lula. "Little Cheeks." He slapped Stephanie's bottom. "And, the gay guy who feels like a damn fool?" Lula got into the spirit of it, and pushed Hector aside.

"I'll be _Lu_vira."

"Hey…I like that. What about you, Hector?" Hector sighed. He just shrugged his shoulders.

"Melvin." Lula smacked her lips while Stephanie put her hands on her hips.

"Be serious, Hector!" Hector's eyes widened.

"We're dressed like Halloween rejects on a Monday night going to some club to look for vampires…and, you want me to be serious?" Stephanie crossed her arms. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"Okay…you can be Melvin."

"Hey…you can be Barbarella. You look like a comic book hero!" Lula said.

"Okay…Luvira…Melvin…let's go." They turned and entered Flux.

The room came to a jangling halt. Even the sportscasters on the TV in the corner fell silent. All eyes were upon the gothic trio that had just entered the bar. Flux, apparently, was not a 'vampire' club. It was a country and western bar. The patrons were an eclectic collection of rejects from the Grand Old Opry to the Deliverance.

"This ain't no _vampire_ club!" Lula hissed in her ear. "These white people look like members of the KKK!"

"You took a _gay_ Mexican and a _black_ ex-ho to a _redneck_ bar?" Hector slowly spat out. Stephanie looked back and forth at the angry faces of Melvin and Luvira. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish.

"Uh….._oops_?" How could this be, she asked herself. They double checked the postings several times! There was only one club in Trenton called Flux. The posts said Flux on Broad Street, and this was Flux on Broad Street.

"Oops? What do you mean…_oops_? Don't say _oops_!" Lula growled. The customers slowly went back to their conversations, and what they were previously doing before Freak Show arrived.

"They all talked about this place. This is _Jersey_! I didn't know that we _had_ any rednecks in Jersey. Did you? In _Trenton_? But, that doesn't matter right now. We _need_ to ask some questions…."

"Ask _who_ questions? These people ain't gonna know nothin' about no _vampires_. Just look at them." Lula gestured around the room. "These people know about missin' teeth…not missin' 16 year old girls! You made me get dressed up like a fool. Shit! I coulda worn my regular clothes and looked normal to come to this dump!" Lula turned to the door. "Come on, Melvin. Let's get the fuck outta here."

"Fine…you two leave. I'm staying. I came here to get some information. And, I'm not leaving until I get some." Stephanie walked over to the bar. She looked around the place. The bar ran the whole length of the back wall. Off to the left were a few pool tables and a jukebox. Off to the right were several tables and chairs where most of the patrons were. There was one man behind the bar, and two waitresses making their rounds. She guessed there were about thirty to forty people in the place. A hand waved in front of her face.

"'scuse me, little lady," a heavy set man said to her. "My friend and me want to axe you a question." Here it comes, she thought. These guys are going to ask her about her ensemble.

"Uh…sure. Go ahead." The taller heavy set man raised his right arm.

"Smell m'arm pit…" Stephanie's face scrunched up in disgust. The shorter, skinny man stepped forward and raised his left arm.

"No…smell mine. Which one is worse?" Stephanie gagged. Oh my God. And, she thought Lester's pick up lines were bad?

"Um…gee…I really shouldn't. Uh…I…I'm Catholic," she stammered.

"Naw…it's okay. We was just fightin' over which deodorant was better. I last used it three days ago, and he just put some on yesterday." They raised their arms again. She didn't need to get any closer to decide the winner. She blinked a few times because the stench was even burning her eyes. She pointed to the heavy set guy.

"Uh…I think yours is a little worse." The man raised both arms in victory while the skinny man pumped his fist on the bar.

"Ha! Told ya I stank!" Stephanie rubbed her temples. Christ! Lula and Hector probably had the right idea.

"You smell pretty good," the skinny guy told her as he sniffed her hair. "What is that? Soap?" Beam me up, Scotty, she thought.

"Yeah…_soap_. You might think about trying it sometime," she mumbled.

"Is there a comic book convention in town? Why y'all dressed like freaks?" Stephanie took a deep breath. Might as well ask while she was there. Can't hurt. She took out Inga's picture.

"Actually, I'm looking for this girl. Have you seen her?" They both took a look at the photo.

"Nope."

"Never seen her before. Sorry we couldn't help. How 'bout we buy ya a drink? Bartender!" The skinny guy pulled out his wallet.

"Here…it's a pitcher of m'pig. Ain't she somethin'?" He was laying in a bed with no sheets, curled up with a pig the size of Wilbur. The pig actually wore sunglasses and a Dale, Jr tee shirt. "Whatcha poison?"

"That's okay…we've got her drink at our table," Hector's voice came from behind her. Stephanie turned and smiled. They didn't leave her after all.

"Uh…thanks anyway, guys. I'm going to join my friends." She saw Lula sitting at one of the tables in the corner. Her breasts covered half the little round table. "Thanks."

"We'd never leave you, Bonita," Hector told her. "Now, let's ask around and get the hell out of this place."

"Fine by me. Just don't ask me to smell your arm pit."

Lester and Hal returned to Rangeman after responding to a false alarm at a private residence. The couple apologized profusely. They explained that they were temporarily caring for her elderly mother with Alzheimer's until they could find a nursing home they liked. She tripped the alarm. After resetting it for them, Hal and Lester left. They stopped off on 5 to drop off the report before calling it a night.

"Man…you should have seen Steph tonight," Junior told them. He pulled up the video of her getting on and off the elevator. "Ranger's going to shit when he gets back here." Lester grinned.

"They were checking out some vampire club or something," he explained. "What was the name of it again?"

"Flux," Zero said. Hal frowned.

"That's not a vampire club. That's a country bar." They all turned to look at him. "I've been there. Not too many places like back home in Trenton. Sometimes, I get a little homesick." Hal shrugged. Lester ran a hand through his hair. This had shit written all over it.

"Are they still there?" Zero punched up the vehicle GPS screen.

"Yep."

"We'd better go check this out. Come on, Hal." They jogged down the stairs to the garage.

Most of the patrons steered clear of the vampire trio. They even shied away if one of them approached as if they were radioactive. Barbarella, Luvira, and Melvin overheard a lot of the comments that were being thrown around…is there weirdo convention in town, are those breasts filled with helium, that girl's ass is hanging out of her shorts, we could use those titties as floatation devices on our bass boat, did you see the bulge in that guy's pants? Well, Stephanie and Lula didn't hear that last comment, but Hector swore he did. After an hour of trying to 'fit' in, Lula decided to shake things up a bit. "If they won't let Luvira come to them, I'll have them come to Luvira. Watch this, White Girl." Lula sashayed to the jukebox. All that country crap was getting on her nerves anyway. Thankfully, there was an interesting mix of music to choose from. She selected E-422 and walked to the middle of the room. Blasting through the speakers came…._Right about now…the funk soul brother. Check it out now…._ Lula started to dance to the _Rockafeller Skank_.

"Oh…my…God…" Hector began slowly. Once again, everyone in the place stopped what they were doing to watch the show. Lula's body seemed to disregard physics. Her hips went one way while her mammoth breasts went the other way. All the while, she was able to shake her ass like a Jell-O jiggler. Stephanie glanced around at Lula's audience. The reaction seemed to be…open mouths/jaws on floor in horror as if they had just witnessed a senior citizen falling down a flight of stairs. There were a few heads bobbing to the beat. That…or the men were following the bouncing boobs. So much for trying to blend in, she mused. That idea was shot to hell the moment Luvira's breasts entered the place, with the three of them right behind. Lula came to a dramatic finish by doing a split. Hector and Stephanie looked at each other, and their jaws dropped. The entire bar erupted in applause.

"I'll be damned…" Stephanie muttered. Lula was still on the floor. Stephanie ran over to her. "Oh my God, Lula! That was great. I didn't know you could do a split."

"I c-can't," Lula huffed, out of breath, and looking a little like she was in pain. "I s-stepped on a lime. One leg went this way. And, one went the other. I…I can't get up. I think I broke my ass." Stephanie waved Hector over. "You were right, White Girl, it was these damn…_death_ cootie shoes. God _damn, _that masturbatin' bitch _cursed_ me from the grave. Take these mother fuckers off me!" Stephanie bent over the removed her left shoe. Another round of applause filled the room. Stephanie and Lula exchanged confused looks.

"Your ass is hanging out, Bonita," Hector told her as he took off the other shoe. Stephanie jerked up straight and covered her behind with both hands. She looked around the room. The arm pit brothers raised their beers to her. Hector handed her the other shoe, and tried to help Lula off the floor. "Ooohhh!" he groaned.

"God damn!" Lula exclaimed. Stephanie grabbed the other side. Lula tried to take a step, bent forward, and then grabbed her crotch. "Shit…I think I broke my vagina, too!" Hector winced.

"I really didn't need to hear that," he muttered under his breath.

"Get me the fuck outta here! I can't believe this. I gotta date with _Tank_, and I _broke_ my vagina! Just because you wanted to find some vampires! I can't _believe_ you talked me into this! _Shit_…I was gonna get me some Tank lovin', too. This ain't right!" Lula continued to grumble as Stephanie and Hector helped her to the Escape. Half way to the SUV, Lula grabbed her shoes from Stephanie. "You were right, White Girl. That masturbatin' bitch put the _mojo_ on these shoes." She threw them over her shoulder.

"God _damn_ it!" The three of them jumped. They turned to see Lester bent over holding his face. Hal was right behind him.

"What are you two doing here?" Stephanie demanded. Lester picked up the shoes.

"What is it with _these_ shoes?" he complained. "Shit."

"You can throw them out," Lula told him. "They broke my vagina." The men all winced and groaned. Hal paled and shuddered at the thought.

"I guess they figured out it wasn't a vampire club," Hal said to Lester. Lester stopped rubbing his cheek where the shoe connected with his face and turned to Hal.

"Ya think?"

"You came to tell us that?" Stephanie smiled. Sometimes, it was nice to have people looking out for her. Lester and Hal nodded. Stephanie walked over to inspect his face.

"I'll be okay." Lester didn't mean to, but he looked her up and down. "Like your outfit, Beautiful." She rolled her eyes.

"Look…this is all nice and shit, but I gotta get home. I can't even hardly stand up. What am I supposed to do…ice my vagina? Put on a heatin' pad? Hmm? My heatin' pad got a massager setting. That actually might work."

"Um…excuse us…but, did I hear that you were looking for vampires?" They turned to see a young woman with two young men. They could have passed for computer geeks with cowboy hats.

"Who are you?" Stephanie asked them.

"I'm Drusilla."

"Son of Vlad." The man to her right waved.

"Satan's Only Son." The man to her left saluted them.

"What?" Lula growled. "You said they were weirdoes. They ain't no vampires. They look like a bunch a high school nerds!" Again, Stephanie did her goldfish impersonation.

"But…but…you're on that vampire site! Y-you talked about uh…coming _here_ on that site!"

"Yeah…we're into the occult. We like playing Dungeons and Dragons, too. We're normal people that like to have a little fun," Drusilla explained. "I heard from someone inside that you were looking for Inga." Stephanie nodded.

"Do you know where she is?" They shook their heads no.

"Can we go somewhere and talk? I think she might be in trouble."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"Hector? Can you take _Lu_vira home?" He nodded. "How does the diner sound?" They looked at each other and nodded.

"Hal…help Hector with Lula. I'm going with Stephanie," Lester told him. Hal joined Hector with trying to get Lula in the Escape. Hal tried to grab her arm, but Lula turned to the side, and he grabbed her protruding boob instead.

"Damn! What the _hell_ you doin'? First, you grabbed my _ass_ last month. Now…you grabbin' my _tit_? Maybe you need to be doin' Val, and get yo _urges_ under control!" Even though it was dark, Hal's face glowed red.

"We'll meet you there," Lester told them before steering Stephanie to the SUV.

"_We_?" She turned to him, hands on hips. With his best lopsided smile, he opened the SUV door for her.

"Yeah…._we_. First, there is no way in hell that I'm letting you go alone. Ranger would kill me. Second…I'm hungry." She rolled her eyes and hopped in the truck. He slid in the driver side. "Besides, I never met _vampires_ before."

"You are such a gonad, Lester." He smirked as he pulled out.

"Maybe. But, at least my ass isn't hanging out of my pants."

Drusilla, whose real name was Linda, told them about their friend Marnie. "Marnie met this guy named Loethar. It was around the same time Queen of the Damned joined our site. Marnie, or Starlite, started hanging around him. Marnie was pregnant. Then, she just disappeared. This was around Thanksgiving. They found her body by the Delaware River just before Christmas. Someone cut out her baby and killed her." Stephanie's stomach began to flip flop. Oh my God, she thought. She remembered Lula reading that article in the newspaper. A hand instinctively covered her belly.

"We have no proof, but we think Loethar had something to do with it," Vlad, real name, John, added. "He's a real smooth talker. I think he stalks girls on the internet. I know you think we're a bunch of losers. There are all kinds of people who are interesting in the vampire lifestyle. Unfortunately, we draw in a lot of lost souls that are looking for something to fill a void in their lives. They have nothing at home…no support. Or, they come from bad homes. It's easy for a stalker to take advantage of them. It's not that Marnie came from a bad home, but she was struggling with becoming a single mom. Her boyfriend dumped her when he found out she was pregnant."

"We went to the cops, but they basically laughed at us," Drusilla/Linda continued. She played with the food on her plate. "I think Inga got involved with Loethar."

"Do you have a last name?" Stephanie asked her.

"Henried. I _think_. His screen name is High Priest. I think he lives here or at least works here in Trenton," Henry, or Satan's Only Son explained.

"What does he look like?"

"He's tall…around 6 foot 2. Sandy blonde hair. Goatee. Not as big as you are," Drusilla/Linda said while gesturing towards Lester. "Inga mentioned him a lot. I know he picked her up at school a few times." Stephanie gagged.

"Like…how _old _is this guy?"

"Not really sure, but he looks to be in his forties."

"Oh my God! That is soooo gross! She's _only_ 16!" Stephanie cried out. They exchanged nervous glances.

"We thought she was 20. That's what she told us anyway," Vlad/John explained. Stephanie must have looked as sick as she felt. Lester, who had his arm draped across the back of the booth, now dropped his arm around her shoulders. "Look…we're afraid that Inga's dead." Stephanie slowly shook her head.

"I talked to her the other day. I called her cell phone. She told me to leave her alone. I mean…she didn't sound scared or like she was being forced to say that." She paused and rubbed her temples. "I think she's in danger and doesn't know it yet." Drusilla/Linda, Vlad/John, and Satan's Only Son/Henry nodded in agreement.

"I think he's some deranged sociopath," Henry/SOS told them. "I don't think we're wrong about him. And, I'm _not_ watching too many crime shows on TV either." Drusilla/Linda looked at her watch.

"We've got to get going. Stephanie…" Drusilla/Linda said as she rose, "it was so good talking to you. Here's my number. Call me for any questions, or if I can help you in anyway." Stephanie took the card and gave Drusilla/Linda one of her own.

"No…thank _you_. It will give me a place to start looking. I'll let you know what I find out." Drusilla/Linda nodded and gave Stephanie's outfit another once over.

"You know…you make a good _Goth_…but that's not _vampire_," she told her.

"I like the shorts," Vlad/John added. "Did you know your ass hangs out?" Stephanie rolled her eyes. Lester snorted. They said their goodbyes, and the vampires left. Stephanie leaned against Lester and sighed.

"This keeps getting worse and worse," she groaned. He pulled her tight.

"What are you gonna do next?"

"Well…I'm going to do a search on Loethar Henried when I get home. Then, I'm going to track him down." She looked up into his concerned eyes. "Does my ass really hang out of these shorts?" This got her a full smile. Then, he laughed out loud.

"Let's just say…I like this outfit better than anything you've worn for a distraction," he answered. She closed her eyes, dropped her head back, and groaned.

"Swell." She felt him nudge her.

"Morelli," Lester whispered. She opened her eyes and saw Joe standing at the counter. She waved to get his attention. It was obvious that he didn't recognize her at first by the classic double take and wide eyes. A slow smile spread across his tired looking face as he walked over to their table.

"I know Halloween is your favorite holiday, Cupcake, but you're a little early this year," he joked. She rolled her eyes. Joe shook Lester's outstretched hand. Stephanie gestured to the open bench across from them.

"Have a seat. What are you doing here this late?" Joe rubbed his face with both hands. Stephanie noticed how down he was. "You okay?" He shrugged.

"Bad night. Just came back from a domestic violence call."

"I thought you worked homicide?" She frowned. Morelli took a deep breath and slowly blew it out.

"I do. Some guy beat the shit out of his wife and kid. The kid didn't make it." Morelli pointed to the glass of water in front of Stephanie, and she nodded for him to take it. He drained the glass before speaking again. "Just came here to get something to eat. Didn't want to go home alone just yet." Stephanie reached across the table and took his hand.

"I'm sorry." He nodded.

"Damn…that must have sucked," Lester agreed. He had seen more dead children in his former line of work that he cared to. He sympathized with Morelli.

"You know…I haven't had dessert yet. You could join us if you'd like some company," Stephanie offered. Morelli squeezed her hand. It was exactly what he needed.

"Thank you." He didn't want to say anymore because he didn't trust his voice. The waitress came over to take his order. "What would you like?" Stephanie glanced over at the bakery case.

"Chocolate cake!" The waitress finished the order and headed for the kitchen.

"Okay…I _need_ a laugh. _Please_ tell me why you are dressed like that," he begged. Stephanie avoided talking about Inga, since her father didn't want to go to the police. She planned on calling Mr. Rasmussen in the morning and suggesting it. She had Joe and Lester in tears with the arm pit story. Especially with how she imitated their voices and raised her arms for effect.

"Les…I swear I will _never_ make fun of your pick up lines again!" she promised.

"_Arm pit_!" Lester's voice cracked and was several octaves higher from laughing so hard. "_Shit_!"

"The smell was soooo bad that it burned my eyes," she whined. "Then, the skinny guy shows me a picture of _him_ and his _pig_ in bed. It's wearing sunglasses and a Dale Earnhardt, Jr shirt." Morelli took a napkin to wipe the tears away.

"Only you, Cupcake."

"That wasn't even the best part. Lula gets up to dance and does a split. I thought she meant to do it, but she stepped on a lime." She shook her head at the memory. "She thinks she broke her vagina." Morelli choked on the mouthful of food he had. He got himself under control after a coughing fit.

"Somehow, I take it that's not a good thing." Stephanie giggled. "So…how's Ranger doing?"

"Good. He goes back to the doctor on Friday. I hope he'll be able to start rehab. He's getting a little stir crazy. He's in Boston right now," she told him. Lester nudged her again.

"Tell him the good news."

"Oh…" She held out her left hand. "We got engaged Friday night." Morelli wasn't surprised. He was happy that Stephanie was happy. But, he still felt a tug at his heart strings. He hoped he gave her his best smile.

"Congratulations. I thought you didn't want to get married?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"I didn't, but he asked me. And, it just felt…right. I think I surprised him by saying yes. I know I surprised myself." The conversation remained light while Morelli finished his dinner. Morelli insisted on grabbing the check and paid for their meals. The three walked out to the parking lot together. Morelli pulled Stephanie into a bear hug.

"Thanks for tonight. I really needed a friend, and you were there," he whispered. She kissed his cheek.

"I'll always be here for you, Joe. I remember a time not too long ago when you were there for me. Friends…remember?" He smiled and nodded.

"Friends," he agreed. He gave her a quick peck on the forehead, shook Lester's hand again, and then headed for his truck.

After a few minutes of silence on the ride home, Lester said, "I feel bad for Morelli. I know what it's like finding dead kids. It sucks. There were times we didn't know if it was us, or the enemy that did it. They had nothing to do with what was going on…just a casualty of war."

"That's so awful. It's not that I want to see anyone hurt…well maybe Joyce Barnhart having boils in her crotch…but, you hate to see kids get hurt," Stephanie agreed. Lester smirked.

"I didn't like Morelli at first. Not after what he did to you. And…he didn't exactly make a great first impression on me either. But, he's a good guy." Stephanie nodded.

"We had a long talk about that when I stayed with him. I didn't realize how much I missed his friendship. He's such a big part of my childhood." Stephanie laughed. "Carlos would never believe it but, Joe stuck up for him and told me that it was only fair to talk to him about our fight. Joe will always have a special place in my heart. I guess that's why I had been so angry at him all these years. He really hurt my feelings and made me feel like our friendship was nothing." Lester was tempted to ask her why Morelli screwed her like that, but he kept quiet. If she wanted to tell him, she would. "I mean this as a compliment…I think that's why I love _our_ friendship so much. You're a lot like Joe. I always have fun when I'm with you." Lester looked over at her smiling face. He couldn't help but smile back.

"Thanks, Beautiful," he replied as he reached over and tousled her hair. "It's never boring being around you. I'd partner with you any day of the week." He pulled into the parking garage at Haywood. They took the elevator up to 5. Stephanie wanted to grab Ivy before she headed upstairs. Hector and Hal were sitting with Junior and Zero. Hal had an ice pack over his right eye.

"Ah…the other member of the vampire trio returns," Junior joked.

"What happened, Hal?" Stephanie asked, immediately rushing over to him.

"He had a little…_mishap_ with Luvira," Hector explained. Zero and Junior snickered. Lester pulled up a chair and joined the group. Stephanie crossed her arms waiting for an explanation. "Well…she had trouble getting off her corset. Hal steadied her from the front, and I unhooked the thing in the back. Them big titties just exploded. Hal took one to the eye." Lester howled and almost fell out of his chair. Hal removed the ice pack. His left eye was red and swollen.

"It's _not_ funny!" he insisted. Stephanie bent over to get a better look. Junior and Zero groaned.

"Wow, Hal. How come your eye is so red?" Her half exposed rear end was almost in Lester's face.

"Beautiful…you're _killin'_ me," Lester told her as he pulled her onto his lap. Stephanie blushed when it connected that she had just bent over. Damn shorts!

"Sorry," she mumbled and turned her attention back to Hal. "I understand the swelling and the bruise, but what happened to your eye?" It was Hal's turn to blush. Hector chuckled behind her.

"Uh…it was her…" Hal stuck his index finger out in front of his chest and lowered his voice to a whisper, "_nipple_." Now, all the men lost it. Hal glared at them. "It poked me in the eye….and, it's _not funny_! That really hurt! I could have gone blind!" Stephanie bit her lower lip. She was trying hard not to laugh. Poor Hal! It was a losing battle though. That was just so ridiculous how could she _not _laugh? Snorting, she covered her mouth with her hand. Hal looked away.

"S-sorry, Hal," Steph told him through gasps. Hal got up and glumly walked to the elevator.

"I'm going to bed," he grumbled. Steph wiped the tears from her eyes.

"That wasn't nice," she told them while still giggling. "Lula's breasts _are_ dangerous!"

"Man…I thought Hal was gonna have a seizure," Hector joked. "When I finally got that damn thing unhooked….her tits were like a baked potato exploding in the oven. They were all over Hal!" This garnered another round of laughter. "Doesn't she realize you're supposed to buy the size you are…and, not the size you'd like to be?" Stephanie shook her head no. She looked at the clock over the monitors. It was still fairly early at 1:30 AM. Time enough to call Ranger and do some research on Loethar Henried.

"Well, as much as I am enjoying all of your company, I'm heading upstairs. Does Ivy need to go out?" Junior shook his head.

"We just took her out before you got back." She kissed Junior's and Zero's cheeks.

"Thanks." Then, she turned to give Lester and Hector a quick kiss. "Good night." The four of them watched her till the elevator doors closed.

"Damn," Hector muttered. Lester, Zero, and Junior shot him confused looks.

"What are _you_ lookin' at?" Junior demanded. Hector sighed.

"Just because I'm gay doesn't mean that I can't appreciate a beautiful woman. I've had sex with women just to see what I was missing. Believe me…if I had to pick between _Bonita_ and _you_….I'd pick _Santos_," Hector replied. Lester's face contorted in horror.

"Argh! Don't say things like that, man!" Lester groaned as he buried his face in his hands.

Stephanie showered and changed before calling Ranger. He must have been up and waiting for her call. He picked up on the first ring.

"Yo!"

"Yo yourself."

"How'd it go?" She snorted into the phone. "That good, huh?"

"Well…Flux wasn't _exactly_ a…vampire club. Did you know we actually have rednecks in Trenton?" Ranger smiled. He leaned back on the couch and put his feet up. This _was_ going to be good.

"It's Jersey, Babe. We have all kinds of wildlife here."

"Okay…I'm gonna give you the Reader's Digest version because I want to do some research before I go to sleep. Flux is not a vampire club…it's a redneck bar. I was asked…no…I was _axed_…to smell these two guys' arm pits to see who smelled worse. The fat guy won. The skinny guy showed me a picture…no…a _pitcher_ of his pig. Nobody would talk to us. Everyone thought we were a bunch of freaks. And…we were. Lula decided to shake things up by dancing. And…she did! But, she slipped and broke her vagina. We helped her out of the club where Lester and Hal were waiting for us. Apparently, Hal knew what Flux was, and they were worried. Then, the 3 vampires we were looking for came out and wanted to talk about Inga. So, Hector and Hal took Lula home. Lester and I went to the diner to meet them. I got a name…Loethar Henried…he's the one I want to do a search on tonight. They leave, and Morelli comes in. Oh my God, Carlos! He was _so_ upset. He was investigating this domestic violence thing. Some guy beat up his wife and son, and the little boy died. Anyway, we stayed with him while he grabbed dinner. Oh…and Hal got hurt by Lula's flying boob and took a nipple in the eye. But, he's going to be okay. And…um…Ididn'tknowmyasswashangingoutofmyshorts." She took a deep breath.

"What?" She took another deep breath.

"I didn't know that my _ass_ was hanging out of my _shorts_!" Ranger laughed out loud. Stephanie heard him laugh all the time, but it was very rare for him to burst out laughing like he just did. "It's _not_ funny. All of Trenton saw my rear end!"

"You never disappoint, Babe." He did feel a little sorry for Morelli. Seeing far too many bodies of murdered children was a part of the reason he closed himself off. There were times he was sure their deaths were the results of him and his own men. Even though he followed orders, it still didn't make it any easier. "I'll have to check Rangeman's medical insurance policy about injuries caused by nipples. I think I excluded all breast related injuries with this bunch." He heard her giggle. God, he loved her laugh. It made him miss her even more.

"This guy might be a psycho. They told me about their friend Marnie. Do you remember the body they found back in December…by the river?"

"Not sure."

"She had her baby cut out of her? Anyway, they said she met him on that website. And, they said Inga started hanging around him. They think he's some deranged killer. I'm going to run a search on him tonight. They said he either lives or works in Trenton. They weren't sure." Ranger closed his eyes. Figures. Leave it to Stephanie to find another psycho.

"I don't want you going after him, Babe. Do the research first. Then, we'll talk about how to proceed. If he is dangerous, I don't want you anywhere near him," he told her. She sighed into the phone.

"Carlos, you put me in charge of this. I can handle it. I won't go anywhere alone…okay? I'll have Hector with me. And, if I think I need anyone else, I'll ask Tank. Please?" It was Ranger's turn to sigh. He wanted to shut her down. If he did, he knew they would lose so much ground with trusting each other. She would see it as him telling her what to do while he felt that he was just protecting her.

"Do the research first, Babe. Then, call me with what you find out. I won't shut you out of this, but we need to be careful. Please, Babe? Especially with me out of town. I'm not _telling_ you what to do…I'm _begging_ you. Call me first. Please."

"Carlos…I understand what you are saying, and that you are worried about me. But, you are going to have to learn to trust me and the decisions I make." Shit. How was he going to go against that? He decided to support her, but he was going to call Tank in the morning to have her followed.

"It's not that I don't trust you…or your decisions. I don't trust anyone else, Babe. I know _you'll_ be careful. Please ask for help, even if you're not sure…_ask _for it anyway," he replied.

"I love you," she told him sweetly. He couldn't help but smile.

"Does that mean you'll be extra careful and ask for help?"

"Yes, _Dad_."

"Good…then I love you more," he said and disconnected. The phone rang again as expected with the "Jerk" voicemail being left.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Ranger had another restless night. No nightmares. He didn't dream at all because he couldn't sleep. The problem wasn't the other issues that had been on his mind. He was worried about Stephanie. And, it was his own damn fault. He probably should have allowed her to keep doing distractions. He gave her the Rasmussen project and put her in charge. He knew she was going to look for this Henried person on her own. Everything was going better than expected in their relationship. She stopped talking about moving out. She accepted his proposal. He could feel the walls coming down. Hell, he was letting down a few of his own. If he restricted her on this case, it would push her away from him. If he let her work the case her way, and something happened…..well, he didn't even want to go there. He was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. Shit.

Stephanie pulled on one of Ranger's tee shirts and settled on the couch with her laptop. While booting it up, she knew she wasn't going to be able to last long. Fatigue was hitting her like a ton of bricks. She decided to do a simple Google search now, and a more in depth search first thing in the morning. Loethar Henried owned a talent agency in downtown Trenton. Omni. She had never heard of it before. Then again, she didn't have any talent that required an agent. She was sure getting covered in slop and destroying cars wasn't exactly all that marketable. The address sounded so familiar. Oh…it was in the same building as her OB/GYN Dr James. How ironic. Nothing else showed in Google. Yawning, she logged onto Embrace the Darkness and looked at High Priest's profile. Not much there either. No photo. It was almost like he was limiting any information about himself. But, her gut instinct was telling her that she was on the right track. This guy was bad news. She could feel it. She decided she would have Hector help her with the search. Maybe cross reference Inga's cell phone records to find his number. Then, they would check out Omni. There was something familiar about that name, but she couldn't place it. She couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Too tired to move, she decided to just rest for a moment before getting off the couch and going to bed. The next thing she remembered was being awakened by the familiar pangs of nausea.

After Ranger's call first thing that morning and finding Stephanie on the bathroom floor the morning before, Tank was knocking on the door at 6 AM. Cursing under his breath when she didn't answer, Tank let himself inside. "Bombshell?" He heard the retching as Ivy appeared in the bedroom doorway. He rushed into the bathroom to see her on her knees hugging the bowl. "Bombshell?" She gave him a short wave then heaved again. Shit! He didn't know what to do. Then, he remembered her saying something about tea and crackers. "I'll make you some tea, okay? I'll be right back."

"Thank you," she groaned. He put the kettle on and went back to the bathroom.

"Should I call Bobby?" She shook her head no as she leaned back against the cabinet. "You really go through this _every_ morning?" She forced a smile.

"And, sometimes various times of the day, too."

"Sorry." Now, she gave him a real smile and held out her hand. Tank took it and helped her up. She grabbed his arm for support as she steadied herself. He didn't need to say a word. It was written all over his face.

"I'll be alright, Tank," she told him. He walked her back to bed and went to get the tea and crackers. "Carlos called you…didn't he?" Tank sighed as he put the tray next to her. He nodded and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I was so tired last night I didn't have time for much. Loethar Henried owns a talent agency called Omni. It's in the Capital City Professional Building. That's all I have. I was going to do more research today with Hector and tell you about it at the morning meeting," she told him. "I told Carlos…well not what I found because I hadn't Googled him yet…but about what the vampires said. Oh…I hope you weren't expecting much from Lula on Wednesday. She…uh…hurt herself." Tank smirked.

"Ranger gave me a little history on your evening. And, yeah Bombshell, he's worried. You know how he is with you." She rolled her eyes. "Steph…I've known Ranger for almost 16 years. I knew him as Carlos. I saw him evolve into Ranger. Now, I see Carlos breaking through again. We had to learn how to shut out our feelings. Bury emotions so deep they would never find their way back. Ranger had to more so than most. He was a leader. It was his job to worry about everything. He was responsible for not only himself, but his team. You can't shut that off overnight. Especially when closing yourself off saved lives. Shit, Bombshell…when it comes to you…that quadruples. If anything ever happened to you because he put his guard down…it would _kill_ him. He'd never get over it. I'm asking you…please cut him some slack. That doesn't mean that I think it's okay for him to lock you in this building, either. Hell, you see how he gets when you're hurt." She sipped her tea and nodded. "You are everything to him."

"I know. I told him I would call him, and I will. I told him I was going to tell you what was going on as soon as we finished our search, and I will. I am part of this team. But, it's a give and take. He grounded me from distractions for personal reasons. He told me last night that he doesn't want me near this guy. I'll share every piece of information I get my hands on, but this is my case. And, there is a 16 year old girl that I think is in real trouble. I am not going to intentionally put myself and the baby in danger. Pregnant women don't live in glass bubbles for 9 months." Tank patted her knee.

"I know, Bombshell. But, he is the boss. There are times I don't agree with his decisions either. But, I don't have a choice." She drained her tea cup.

"That's true. But, that's not fair to me. If he keeps doing that, I'll quit Rangeman and get another job. I love Carlos. I love all you guys. And, I love working here. But, I won't let it interfere with our relationship either. We live together. We work together. We're with each other all the time. One of these days, we're going to start getting on each other's nerves. I know I like my privacy. Carlos was pretty much a loner. I'm sure he doesn't want me around all the time either." Tank roared.

"If you only knew how far from the truth that is, Bombshell!" Tank calmed himself down. "I think you made him realize how lonely he was to the point that he hates to be without you."

"You're a real good friend to him, Tank."

"We've been through a lot together. And, we still have a long way to go. I want to see my best friend marry the woman he loves. I want to be there when their baby is born. I can't wait to be his Uncle." She raised her eye brows.

"_His_?" Tank smiled.

"Wishful thinking." She moved the tray to the nightstand and gave Tank a hug.

"Maybe you need to work with Carlos on how to express himself. If he opened up a little more, talked _to_ me and not _at_ me, I probably wouldn't go as ballistic as I do," she joked. Tank smirked and got off the bed. He took the tray off the night stand.

"Bombshell…I'm glad Ranger met you," he told her. "But, I'm really glad that you met Carlos. He's a very lucky man to have someone as special as you."

"I'm the lucky one, Tank." He whistled for Ivy.

"I'll have one of the men take her out. I'll see you later. Get some rest."

Stephanie and Hector sat across from one another working on Loethar Henried. Hector didn't find the number for Omni in Inga's cell phone records. There wasn't much on Loethar Henried. "It's probably not his real name, Bonita. We didn't even find a social security number on him." Hector leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I don't know if this guy is holding Inga hostage, but I think he's definitely dirty."

"There's something familiar about Omni, but I just can't place it," she explained. "Now, do we drop by or call and make an appointment?"

"The leasing company records show that Omni has rented that office for a year and a half. I say we stop by."

"Do we go with a cover story, or just flat out ask him about Inga?"

"What do your instincts tell you?" She bit her lower lip.

"Confront him with it. If he thinks we're on to him, maybe he'll push her away. He _must_ know who her father is. Shit…this gets weirder and weirder," she groaned.

"You're down to 30!" Val's voice floated into their cubicle. Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to wind up breaking that ffff……that jar." Hector laughed. "Let's take this to Tank. I promised Carlos I would, and I'll call him after we talk about this."

Stephanie and Hector presented all their information on the Rasmussen case during the meeting. Ranger was on the speaker phone. After a brief pause, Ranger asked, "So…how do you want to handle this, Babe?" All eyes fell upon her.

"Well…I thought Hector and I would go there today. I get the feeling he likes to hide in the shadows. I want to ask him straight out about Inga. I'm sure he'll deny it. But, we can see what he does. Follow him around. Maybe he'll lead us to her." She looked around the room. No one said a word. They were afraid to agree. The men, including Tank, were waiting for Ranger to say something. Finally, Stephanie needed to break the ice. "What do you think, Carlos?"

Damn. She was right. It was easier to catch a rat in the daylight. He just didn't want to use her as bait. "Okay. Stephanie and Hector will go in. I want all the possible exits of the building covered. If something happens, I don't want Henried to have an escape route," he ordered.

"I don't think he's stupid enough to try anything. Well…not right then anyway," Stephanie added. "That's his place of business. I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley somewhere."

"Okay. Tank…set it up. Call me as soon as you're done, Babe." Ranger disconnected. He felt a little better knowing she was going in there with full back up. He didn't like that they didn't find much on the search. It could only mean he certainly was covering up something. He shook his head at the thought that Stephanie had this uncanny ability to find trouble whether she looked for it or just stumbled across it.

Hector was able to call up the blue prints for the Capital City Professional Building from the public records. There was the main entrance to the shared lobby. The building had twenty five floors. There was a sub-terrain, five level parking garage that only had one entrance/exit. There was a service entrance at the back of the building with a loading dock. The garage could be tricky. While there was only one way in and out, there were still five floors. Fortunately, there was only one set of elevator bays. Tank decided to have a team stationed there. "Santos and Brown, I want you inside. There's a waiting area by the elevators. Ram and Woody, you'll watch the main entrance and the garage opening. Cal and Vince will take the loading dock in the back. Bombshell, I want you to carry a panic button and tracker."

"I will. I hope this isn't all for nothing," she sighed. "I don't even know if he'll be there…or, what the hours are. Hopefully, there will be a secretary or something. If he's not there, I'll see if I can make an appointment."

"Beautiful, it would surprise the hell outta me if he's _not_ there. You always step in it," Lester joked, but everyone nodded in agreement.

Omni had the corner office on the 15th floor. There was a reception area with a young Asian woman behind the desk. There were a couple of young girls, that looked to be late teens or early twenties seated there with portfolios neatly placed across their laps. Stephanie and Hector stood out in their Rangeman black. The name plate read Jin Yeung. She didn't even pause from filing her nails or look up to great them. "Can I help you?"

"We're here to see Loethar Henried," Stephanie told her trying to put a little authority in her voice.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No." Jin sighed and pulled out a date book.

"He's booked for the next 2 weeks…"

"We don't need an appointment. Tell him, Stephanie Plum, is here to talk to him about Inga Rasmussen." Jin looked up. Apparently, she didn't like to be cut off and gave them a look that said so. Stephanie leaned on the desk, palms flat, and got right in her face. "Now." Jin rolled back in her chair.

"He's with a client. You'll have to wait." She tipped her head towards the couches. Stephanie straightened up and looked at Hector. Hector shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't think so." Stephanie headed for his office with a smiling Hector right behind her.

"Hey! I _said_ you have to wait!" Jin was now on her feet. Stephanie burst into Henried's office. He was taking Polaroids of a naked, young girl. "I'm sorry, Mr. Henried! I couldn't stop them!" The girl grabbed her clothes and darted into his private bathroom.

"Who are you people?" He managed to keep his cool.

"I'm Stephanie Plum. This is my partner, Hector. We need to talk to you about Inga Rasmussen." Henried looked at Jin.

"It's okay, Jin. I'll handle this." He gave Stephanie a smile and looked her up and down. It wasn't _technically_ a leer…but, it felt like it was. "Just give my client a few moments if you would." She nodded. Loethar Henried was a tall and thin man. He looked to be around six foot one…maybe two. Drusilla described him accurately. He had short, dirty blond hair, goatee, piercing blue eyes. Not quite handsome, but better than average looking. The young girl emerged from the bathroom. "Nancy…please wait in the other room. I apologize for the interruption, but I have business to attend to." She nodded and left the office. He gestured to the two empty chairs in front of his desk.

"So…what's this about Inga?"

"She's missing. I've been given some information that you may know where she is," Stephanie began. He smiled. It was a creepy smile like the Grinch with all the bugs on his teeth. It was a _like he knew exactly what was going_ _on but wasn't going to say a word_ smile.

"Now, why would I know where she is?"

"You do know that she's 16 years old?" Again, the creepy Grinch smile.

"Inga came here looking for an agent. She wants to be an actress. I helped her get a portfolio together and sent her on casting calls." Stephanie crossed her arms.

"You take naked pictures of her, too?" Hector interjected. He looked Hector up and down.

"No. I arranged a photo shoot."

"When was the last time you saw Inga?" Stephanie asked.

"A few weeks ago…I think." He engaged in a staring match with Stephanie. When it was apparent that she was not going to look away, he smiled again.

"Can you give me the names and numbers of the places you sent her?" He shook his head no.

"I don't know who you are. My clients _and_ their information are confidential. I think we are done here, Miss Plum." He rose from his chair.

"What if we have her father call to obtain those records?" He still shook his head. "She _is_ a minor, you know. You would have needed her father's permission to do anything anyway."

"I have clients to see. You've already wasted enough of my time. Leave, or I'll have security escort you out." He swept his arm towards the door. Stephanie looked at Hector and slowly got out of the chair taking out her phone.

"Smile." She snapped a picture of Henried.

"Get out."

"We'll leave…for now." She started to walk towards the door with Hector right behind again. She opened the door and paused. "Oh…we know about Marnie. Isn't it funny that the girls who get involved with you either turn up dead or go missing." The slip in his smile was there. It would have been undetectable to most people. Having spent all this time trying to read Ranger's face, taught her to watch for the slightest changes or muscle movements. She knew that comment about Marnie cracked his armor. But, it also gave her a sinking feeling that she just put a target on her back. Swell. She probably needed to work on holding back the smart-ass comments. Stephanie gave Jin her friendliest smile as she passed. "Have a nice day." She felt the daggers of Jin's glare as she left.

Hector waited till they left the office before he spoke. "I don't think you made a friend there, Bonita." She rolled her eyes.

"I know."

Henried made a phone call after they left. "I need you to check out Rangeman and Stephanie Plum…..I just had her and some Hispanic man here in my office asking about Inga….I think her father hired them, but she also knows about Marnie. I want you to make arrangements to have Inga moved upstate. Just tell her that we think her father knows where she is. She won't ask questions, but set her up in the guest house and keep her away from the others....Yes, I want her followed, but be careful and don't draw attention to yourself….I don't know how much she knows, but it led her here. We may have to take care of her, too."

"Well?" Lester asked anxiously. Bobby smacked the button for the elevator.

"I think we found our man. The problem is that I don't think Inga knows that she's in over her head yet. Let's just get out of here," she told him. She called Tank and updated him. "I got a picture of him. That might help us."

"Does he know you took the picture?" Stephanie swallowed hard.

"Uh…I'm not sure," she lied. She heard Tank sigh. "Well…maybe." Silence. "Um…yeah."

He left Woody and Ram to watch the building to keep an eye on Henried. The goal was to get the make, model, and license plate on his car to place a GPS device to track his movements. Stephanie emailed the photo to their phones.

"Now what?" Bobby opened the SUV door for Stephanie.

"How about we go somewhere to eat? We're hungry." Bobby smirked as she hopped in the back seat with Hector. He closed the door behind her and jumped into the passenger side. Lester turned to face her.

"What do you feel like having?"

"How about Pino's? I haven't eaten there in a while," she decided. Lester checked his mirrors and pulled out of his parking space.

Henried watched Stephanie get into the black SUV. He noticed another one take its place. He would have to be careful while he finished up his business here. He planned on moving the office in a few months anyway. The time table would just have to be expedited. He poured himself a whiskey. The young girl had undressed in the bathroom again and was ready for more pictures. There were several buyers that would pay top dollar for this one. Hell, he could probably purchase a private island with what he could get for Stephanie Plum. She was exquisite. The idea rolled around in his mind. He did have several Middle Eastern business men that had asked about blonde/blue-eyed women. If Stephanie Plum became a real problem, he could kill two birds with one stone. He finished with the photos and dismissed the young girl. "Thank you. I will be in touch after contacting some of my…_directors_. I think you will do very well in this industry." He called Inga after she left.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18 **

Stephanie called Ranger to fill him in on the meeting with Henried. She left out taunting him and making herself a target. "So now, I guess we wait to see what he does. I'll keep trying to call Inga. If we can get a GPS on his car, he might just lead us to her."

"Good work, Babe. What did you think of him?"

"There is a high level of _creep_ factor. The Grinch's theme song kept playing over and over inside my head. He was taking Polaroids of some young girl…_naked_. I get the feeling we are just touching the surface with this guy. Right now, I just want to find Inga. I think I'm going to call Joe Durrer from the FBI. Mr. Rasmussen doesn't want us to call the cops. But, I'm going to see if there is anything Joe can do to help us find out about this guy. Then, Hector's going to try to get Omni's phone records. Right now, the guys are taking us to eat. We're hungry." Ranger's mouth twitched. He was relieved that confronting Henried was done, and that she had an easy afternoon planned.

"I've got to go. I don't think I'll be able to come home until tomorrow. I'll be back in time to get ready for the dinner. I'll call you later." He disconnected.

"Someone needs to teach that man phone manners," she muttered under her breath. She remembered about her car. She almost hoped something would happen to it, but then what? As much as she wanted a nice car, she was afraid to risk it. It was one thing to replace an outfit that got ruined, but it was another to replace a vehicle. "Les? When is my car going to be ready?"

Lester mentally groaned. Because if all was going according to plan, that piece of shit was being crushed in the compactor at Romano's as they spoke. What the hell was he going to say? Shit…_think_! "Um…to be honest Beautiful…I kinda forgot all about it. I'll call when we get back, okay?" Stephanie sighed.

"Thanks." Bobby gave him a sideways glance, but Lester refused to look at him. Stephanie never missed a trick, and it wasn't going to be him that gave her the news about the #2 mobile's demise. Ranger got to reap the rewards, so Ranger would have to deal with the fall out.

Against her better judgment, Stephanie ordered a meatball parmesan sub with fries. It had been a long time since she had one and was craving it. The conversation was light. Bobby was going to bring Tammy to the awards dinner. Lester and Hal were on call that night, so they couldn't go. Part of the agreement with a Rangeman apartment was being on call in case of needed back up at a moment's notice. That was another reason the rent was so reasonable. Rangeman had a block of ten tickets, but only eight were going. Ram and Woody didn't have dates. Ranger hired a stretch Hummer to take all of them together. With everything that had been going on over the past few months, they were all looking forward to a night out.

Stephanie left a message for Special Agent Durrer. His voice mail said he was out of town but would be back on Friday. She asked him to call her upon his return. Hector wanted to work on hacking into the Omni phone records. Her stomach began to churn. Shit. It was her own fault. The meatballs tasted so good on the way down. Because it was the middle of the day, she hoped it wouldn't bother her stomach. "What's the matter, Bonita? You're lookin' sorta…green."

"Fucking meatballs," she groaned.

"29!" Val yelled. Stephanie rolled her eyes. She glanced over at Val. She watched as she ticked off another credit on her pad. Val started to put the pad back in her top drawer.

"Don't put that away yet, Val, I'm not done," Stephanie told her as she stormed over to her desk. "Fuck that stupid, God Damn, piece of shit Swear Jar!" Val checked off three more credits.

"That's 26," she muttered.

"Oh…and Val…" Stephanie gave her two middle fingers, pumping her hands up and down. "Those are free! _Gestures _don't count!"

"That's real _mature_, Stephanie!" Val shot back. Two more fingers. "I'm telling Daddy what you did!" Another finger.

"Ladies?" Tank poked his head out of his office.

"Tell tell, you smell, Val," Stephanie replied mimicking her tone. Before she could utter another smart-ass comment, her stomach rolled again. She clapped a hand over her mouth and ran for the nearest trash can. At least this time, she didn't get it all over the hallway. She felt Val's hands pull her hair out of the way and rub her back. It was bad enough she had turned into vomit-machine, but she hated to be on display while doing it. Fucking meatballs!

"Tank? Can you get her a chair?" Val calmly asked. A few seconds later, Stephanie felt the chair behind her and sat down. "You okay now?" Stephanie nodded.

"Just give me a minute," she told them. "Then, I'll go upstairs and lay down for a while."

"Are you sure you're alright, Bombshell?" Tank was really worried now. Stephanie nodded.

"Yeah…well, I will be. It's my fault. I ate those _fucking_ meatballs." Stephanie cut her eyes to Val. Val mouthed _25_. Middle finger given. "They made me sick the last few times I ate them, but I ordered it anyway. _Trust me_….won't make _that _mistake again." Tank smirked.

"Come on, Steph," Val said. "I'll help you upstairs." Stephanie put an arm around her shoulders, and they walked to the elevator.

"Did you go through this with the girls?" Val smiled.

"I had a fairly easy pregnancy with Angie. Mary Alice, on the other hand, was rough. Are you seeing a pattern here?" The elevators doors opened to the apartment.

"When did the _death_ feeling finally go away?"

"After the first few months, then I was fine. It's going to pass, Steph. I know you think it's never going to end. But, it will. I promise," Val insisted. Stephanie hesitated by the kitchen and debated about a glass of ice tea. The nausea was gone, but she was afraid to force anything right now. Besides, a nap sounded heavenly at the moment. "I'll bring Ivy up later." Steph gave her a quick hug.

"Sorry about the dancing fingers," she said. Val smiled.

"Just get some rest." Then, she went back down to 5.

Woody and Ram traded off and on again with Lester and Bobby till shift change. Nothing. They didn't see him leave the building from the front entrance or the garage. Ram decided to check the office. It was closed. The door had a glass panel. The lights were off. He didn't see any light under the main office door inside. Somehow, Henried slipped out. Stephanie was right. The guy was definitely dirty. They headed back to Haywood to give Tank a full report. "He must have been suspicious," Ram told him. "Maybe he got a ride with someone and hid in the car. Or, he walked out the back way." Hector laughed.

"I'm not surprised. Bonita pulls out her phone and tells him to smile before taking his picture." The guys all laughed. Tank groaned.

"I think we need to work with her on _stealth_ techniques," he sighed. "She called that FBI agent, but he won't be back until Friday. I think we stake out the place early. Use one of the plain cars. He'll be looking for the SUVs."

"You want us to take the first watch?" Woody asked. Tank nodded. He rubbed his face with both hands.

"I need all of you to stay sharp. Because Bombshell is involved, I have a feeling if this all goes to shit, it will happen fast. We can't let anything happen to her. This pregnancy is kicking her ass, and she's not 100%. Shit…Ranger isn't either. We gotta have their backs." The guys nodded in agreement. Val called Tank over to her desk.

"That's $1.50, Tank." He pulled out the money and stuffed it in the jar. He couldn't wait till Ranger was cleared by the doctor. Then, he would kick his ass for approving that stupid jar.

Stephanie left yet another message for Inga. She decided she was going to call daily. Maybe Inga would call her back just to shut her up. She felt better after her nap. Ella had come and gone but left some chicken noodle soup and homemade rolls. "God, you are a saint, Ella," she whispered.

Ranger was exhausted. He spent all day reviewing employee files and directing in depth background checks. He felt like his eyes were crossed from reading that small print all day. There was still so much to do before he had to leave. His flight got pushed back again. Now, it looked like he was going to have Stephanie bring his tux to the Hilton. He may have to go there straight from the airport. He could book a room to shower and change when he got there. Maybe sneak away for some quiet…well not exactly _quiet_…time with her. He smiled at the thought. God, he missed her. Shit…he had forgotten about the car. It was supposed to be delivered by 1 pm on Wednesday. He was going to have to tell her. Damn. He wanted to be there when it arrived, and when she saw it. "Yo."

"That's my line, Babe."

"How are things going?"

"Okay. I don't know if I'm going to make it back in time. Just bring my tux, shoes, socks, and shirt with you. I might have to go straight there from the airport. Probably will be a little easier than trying to rush to Trenton first." She sighed.

"Okay," she replied. "You sound really tired, Carlos."

"I am, Babe. Long day reading all those files. And, I'm going to have another long day tomorrow. I'm going to try to go to bed early tonight. Uh…I have something to tell you. And, I know you're going to be mad at me." Ranger sounded a little nervous. She didn't like the sound of that.

"What's wrong, Carlos? Are you okay? Did anything happen?"

"No. I'm fine. It's not bad. Well, I don't think it's bad anyway."

"What is it?"

"I know you said you didn't want me to get you a car. But, I did anyway. I had already ordered it, but you can think of it as an engagement present…"

"Carlos!" she cut him off. "I told you _no cars_! I can take care of myself. I can get my own car. I don't need your help. I can't have a nice car. Something's going to happen to it. That's why I _got_ the Nova. Can you take it back?" Ranger knew she was going to be a little resistant, but the thought that she would refuse the car and ask him to return it hadn't occurred to him. And, it sort of annoyed him.

"Babe…I put a lot of time and thought into this. It means something to me to do this for you. And no, I don't want to take it back." She could hear the irritation in his voice. "How would you feel if I wanted to give you back the song you wrote for me?" Stephanie felt as though she had been smacked in the face. She would have been devastated if he did that. But, this wasn't the same thing. Why couldn't he understand that? Her eyes began to well with tears. And, it was like déjà vu. Dickie bought her a car as an engagement present, too. Everyone knew how _that_ turned out! She could no longer hold back the tears.

Ranger realized he crossed the line with that comment. Taking a deep breath and blowing it out, he continued. "Stephanie…I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry. It's been a long day, and I'm tired. I didn't mean to take it out on you. Please don't cry, Babe." Fuck. "I know you want to be able take care of yourself. But, I want to take care of you, too."

"Uh…s-since you are so t-tired, I'll let you g-go. Good night, C-Carlos," she whispered in a shaky voice and disconnected. He went against her wishes and got her a car anyway. He, once again, didn't respect her decision. Then, he made her feel like shit because she called him on it. And, she was probably blowing everything out of proportion because of these damn pregnancy hormones! Her phone rang again. She didn't want to talk about it anymore. A few seconds later, it rang again.

"Damn it," Ranger muttered after she still didn't pick up. He didn't want to leave it like that. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her. He needed to hear that she loved him, too. Yeah, he realized he hurt her feelings with the comment about her song. He didn't mean to do that. It was just that he loved that song so much because she put so much of herself into it. It was a beautiful song. He was just trying to make her understand that doing things for her was the same as her writing that song for him. He tried one more time but, got her voice mail. He decided to leave a message. "I love you, Stephanie. Please call me."

Stephanie couldn't talk to him then. She needed to clear her head. She didn't want to fight about a stupid car. Actually, it wasn't really about the car, was it? It was about Ranger not respecting her as an equal partner in their relationship. Although she thought she was coming to terms with her past with Dickie, this situation seemed to be coming eerily close. What next? Would he have her sign a long and complicated pre-nup? Rangeman was his. She didn't want to take anything that wasn't hers. She was so afraid of being in that situation again that left her with nothing. On the other hand, her heart just wouldn't let her believe that Ranger would ever do something like that to her. Relationships were give and take. She knew Ranger loved her. That certainly was not the problem. He never did relationships and was used to giving orders. And yes, she understood that part. But, he _was_ trying. Dickie always took. Ranger always gave. She knew exactly what she needed. Music. She filled a water bottle with ice tea, grabbed a blanket, her guitar, and headed for the roof.

Tank got a call from the Control Room that Stephanie was on the roof. "Just call me if there is a problem. She'll be fine." With Stephanie on the roof, he wasn't surprised when he got the call from Ranger.

"Can you check on Stephanie? She's not answering her phone."

"She's fine. She's on the roof." Ranger sighed.

"I'm probably going to go straight to the dinner. So, I told her about the car." Ah…that was why she was on the roof.

"I take it that she wasn't happy about it."

"No, we…well I wouldn't say had a fight…but, it wasn't good."

"Do you want me to talk to her?"

"No. I'll try her again later. So, what's going on with Henried?" Tank gave him the run down. "What do you think?"

"Bombshell's right. This guy is into something dirty. He's using the agency as a front. Maybe an escort service or something. Woody and Ram are taking the unmarked car and staking out the building tomorrow morning. Hector's working on hacking into the phone records. That FBI agent won't be back till Friday. I have the men on high alert. Don't worry…we all got her back," Tank told him.

"Thanks, man." Ranger disconnected. Knowing Stephanie was playing her guitar eased his anxiety. He worked out his problems in the gym. Stephanie worked out hers with her music. He was still restricted with physical activity, but running on the treadmill sounded like a good idea. After his work out, he would be more centered. He would try calling her later.

Even though Stephanie wanted to stay on the roof longer, her bladder had other ideas. She went back to the apartment to take care of business. She had two voice messages. The first was no surprise. Ranger. She did feel better after playing for a while. After taking Ivy for a walk, she decided not only to call him, but she was going to surprise him by playing the piano for him. She didn't want to fight over a car. Their relationship was more important than any car. She especially didn't want to fight while they were apart. She wasn't going to let this slide, but they needed to talk about it face to face. She loved him too much to not try to work out their differences. The second message was from Inga.

"_Please stop calling me. I'm fine. This is what I want."_

At least she knew Inga was still okay. She didn't sound nervous, or like she was being forced. Good. She would just call her again tomorrow. She hurried to get Ivy on 5 and take her out.

Ranger had just gotten out of the shower when his phone rang. A sense of relief washed over him when he saw the number on the caller ID. "Babe." He heard the piano begin to play the intro to _You Light Up My Life, _then her beautiful voice joining in. His face hurt from the smile that just wouldn't quit. He laid back across the bed and got lost in the song. Jesus, he couldn't wait to get back home.

"I love you, Carlos," she whispered after she finished.

"God, I love you, too, Babe. I'm sorry. I don't want to fight with you about a car. I didn't mean to put down your song. It's just that I know what it meant to you to write that song for me. I just want you to understand that's how I feel when I give something to you. I'm not trying to take away your independence. Please don't take it like that." She sighed.

"I know. I don't want to get into this any deeper over the phone. I don't want to fight over a car either. I love you too much for that. Okay?"

"I agree. But, if you feel that strongly about it, I'll sell the car. There is no way I'll let a car, or anything else for that matter, come between us, Babe. Ever." God, now she _really_ felt like shit.

"Carlos…it's not that I don't _want_ a nice car. I'm _afraid_ to drive one. I'm still a little nervous driving the Escape. This sounds stupid, but I don't feel that way when I drive the Nova." Now, he felt like shit. He hated that car. It was probably the size of a beer cooler right now. "I know it's junk. But, I'm not worried that something might happen to it." She laughed. "It's not exactly my _favorite_ car, but at least when something happens to it…it's no big deal. And, I don't know if they can fix it. Lester said he would call to find out what's going on, but I forgot all about it after I threw up in the office." She clapped a hand over her mouth.

"I know Selma said that's normal, but it's really got me worried about you." This couldn't be normal. Maybe Selma just didn't want him to worry.

"It was my _own _fault. I had a meatball sub for lunch. I should have known better. Meatballs haven't set well with my stomach this whole time. I don't know what I was _thinking_ by getting that. I should have stuck to the turkey. Ella made me soup for dinner. I had an extra bowl…and a lot of rolls. So far so good with dinner. Oh…and, I sort of had a fight with Val about the Swear Jar. Fingers are free, but I'm down to 25 credits. The last 3 curses did feel kinda good though." He smiled. "Val said she had no problems with her pregnancy with Angie, but was sick with Mary Alice. She said it passed after a while. I can't wait for that." Hearing that made him feel a little better. "So…do you have a particular pair of shoes you want me to bring?"

"You decide, Babe. Shoes seem to be your area of expertise," he joked. "I'm really glad you called me back. And, thank you for the song. I needed that."

"Well, it's how I feel. I'm not perfect. I have issues. I'm allowed to get mad at you. But, my emotions are all over the place. I know I'm overreacting…even for me. I just can't seem to help it. Not that this wouldn't have made me mad, but I think I normally would have handled it better."

"I know. I haven't been myself either. I hate not being 100%. But, as long as I have you, I know things will be fine." After another ten minutes, they said their good-byes. Stephanie almost immediately fell asleep. Ranger finished up some reports and went to bed a few hours later. He didn't have any nightmares, but he woke up every couple of hours. When they finished the Rasmussen case, he was thinking about taking them on a little vacation. Just the two of them…with nothing to do but make love and sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 **

After Stephanie's morning porcelain god worship routine, she couldn't fall back to sleep. It was still early. Not feeling quite as crappy as she normally did, she decided to take Ivy for a walk. She padded into the closet to get dressed.

Ram and Woody pulled out of the garage in the silver Ford Taurus. They wore plain clothes to help them blend in for their surveillance. About half way down the block, sat the #2 mobile. "What the fuck?" Ram muttered. "Weren't they supposed to crush that thing yesterday?" Woody shrugged. Ram pulled out his cell phone and called Tank. Tank called the Control Room again to check the cameras. Then, he called Lester to get rid of the car.

Zip began looking through the footage when he saw Stephanie coming out of the apartment. He immediately buzzed Tank and Lester on the intercom system. "Rangeman…we have a problem…"

Stephanie and Ivy were riding the elevator down to the garage, when the doors opened on 4. An out of breath Lester practically dove in the car, catching himself against the back wall of the elevator. He had toothpaste running down his chin, and his shirt was on backwards and inside out. Although he did have both sneakers on, they were on the wrong feet, and he only had on one sock. She couldn't help but giggle. "Mornin' Beautiful," he huffed. "Why don't you let me take Ivy out? I'm sure she'd like going for a run."

"Sounds like you've already been for a run." She looked him up and down. "Uh…I know you're not usually a _slave_ to fashion, Les, but did you get dressed in the dark…with help from Helen Keller?" He looked down at himself.

"Shit," he muttered. She pointed to his chin. Wiping his hand across it, he realized it was covered in toothpaste. "Oh." He gave a short laugh. "I'm running late today." He held out his hand for the leash. She hesitated for a moment before handing it over to him.

"She probably would enjoy a run more than a walk," Stephanie agreed. "Thanks…but, you may want to fix your shoes first." The doors opened to the garage.

"Oh…yeah. Will you be up, or do you want me to leave her on 5?"

"5. Maybe I will try to go back to sleep for a while. I'm really tired." She reached up and kissed his cheek. "You are so not right, Lester Santos, but you are so sweet." Smiling, he grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her, getting toothpaste on her mouth and chin. Laughing, she pushed him out of the elevator and wiped the toothpaste off her face. Lester waited for the doors to close before he and Ivy ran down the street to Ram and Woody.

Ram and Woody noticed Lester was running a little funny. Almost like he was waddling….or, had a stick up his ass. It was probably the one sock that drew the attention to his sneakers on the wrong feet. "Who the fuck dressed _you_ today?" Ram joked.

"Shit," Lester replied. "Of all days, Stephanie was up and was going to take Ivy for a walk. Zip called me and Tank while I was brushing my teeth. I just grabbed shit and put it on as I ran for the elevator." Woody handed him the keys.

"It was unlocked, and the keys were in it. What the fuck is going on?" Woody asked. It started to dawn on Lester what might be happening. Tommy. Tommy loved that car. And, Tommy had a crush on Stephanie. It was the only explanation his brain was willing to accept. Because…the alternative was way too scary to think about. And, that was that the car missed Stephanie and drove itself back here. Lester thrust the leash in Woody's hand. He dropped to the curb to fix his sneakers. He pulled off his shirt while standing up, turned it right-side out, and put it back on.

"I have a feeling Tommy, the garage owner's grandson, keeps bringing the car back here. I don't know who he loves more….Stephanie or this piece of shit. I mean…come on. If you were going to _steal_ a car for a joyride…would you take this one?" The three looked at the car, then back at each other, and shook their heads no. "You guys better get goin'. I know I said this last time, but I hope this _is_ the last time I have to see this piece of shit again."

Tom Barnwell was just about to call the Rangeman office when he saw Lester pull in the lot. He walked out to meet him. "I'm so sorry. I just got here and saw the car was gone again. I think my grandson had something to do with it. I asked him about it the first time. He said he didn't know anything about it, but he couldn't look me in the eye. We fixed the compactor late yesterday. I promised him he could watch some of the cars get crushed, and he begged me not to hurt Stephie's car. I didn't think he would do this again." Lester nodded.

"I kinda had a feeling it was Tommy when we saw the car was back," Lester smirked. "Of all days, Steph was up early to take the dog out. Man, we had to scramble fast to not let her see it."

"What are you gonna tell her happened to the car?" Lester shrugged.

"That's for Ranger to handle. I don't want to get any deeper into this that I already am." The men shook hands as Tank arrived.

"I'll take care of the car first thing. Probably best for Tommy _not_ to watch this one get destroyed." Tank and Lester headed back to Rangeman.

Henried avoided the office that day. He only had a few appointments, and none were too pressing that he couldn't reschedule. They moved Inga to his estate in New York. All Inga knew was that he was an international talent agent, and that he loved her. Inga was almost five months pregnant with his child. He had specific buyers for that baby. A very wealthy and barren couple from a Scandinavian country requested a white baby with similar features. Being of Swedish descent as well, it was only fitting that he impregnate Inga himself. She had no idea that he would be turning the baby over to this couple right after the birth. Of course, that was only _after_ they paid the $500,000.00 price tag. It was only fitting to ask for more since he used his own sperm. He was a major

part of a world-wide, multi-billion dollar, human trafficking operation. They had a full network of lawyers to help with the birth certificates, passports, and other paperwork, physicians to deliver the babies and assist with prenatal care, to low life henchmen to keep the girls in line. And, the more he thought about her, the more he was interested in Stephanie Plum. He had been getting multiple requests from the Bratva, or Red Mob, about a tall blue-eyed blonde from America. They had been making too much money selling their own women as mail order brides. Then, he had a Japanese business man and a Middle Eastern sheik, who were also requesting an American. They weren't impressed with the photos he sent of what he had available in his stable. Miss Plum would create a nice little bidding war. He probably could buy that little island after all. His phone rang. "Yes."

"She hasn't left the office yet today. We didn't see any black SUVs by our office either. What do you want us to do?"

"I want her followed 24/7. I want to know her habits. I want to know who she is with. Have you got all the information on Rangeman yet?"

"Working on it. Should have that…oh…latest tomorrow. They've got a tough system. Not much out there about the owner either…Ricardo Carlos Manoso. The street address we found for him was a vacant lot. Don't worry, we'll find something. I'll make sure we have someone following her at all times."

"Good. I think Miss Plum would be a perfect addition to our little family. But, we have to time this perfectly. We may only have a moment's notice to act." Henried disconnected. Inga was still set up in the guest house. It wouldn't be long before she got curious and wanted to see inside the mansion. Right now, it had been easy. She was looking for a father figure to love her. She was only sixteen and easier to control. He made her think they were in love and baby makes three with a happy ever after ending. But, if he had to lock her up with the others, oh well. This was business after all.

Stephanie had gotten all of Ranger's things together before she hopped in the shower. Hector was still trying to get Omni's phone records, but it was apparent that the phones in that office were not under Omni's name. She tried again to call Inga. No answer. Just left another message. Stephanie had skipped lunch, so she munched on cheese and crackers while she got ready. Deciding to do something a little different, she put her hair up. It was still a huge mop of wild curls tacked to the top of her head with several loose tendrils. Lula was right about the dress. The simple blue dress looked amazing on her. She would have never picked it out for herself.

Stephanie had called Lula earlier. Lula had been Motrin-izing and heat padding herself constantly over the last two days. Lula told her she wasn't able to work, but she felt like she could walk much better today. Lula was so excited about her evening with Tank. Despite Lula's past, she really was a good and decent person. Not that Tank was shy, but it always surprised Stephanie that he had not found someone special. Yes, he was intimidating, but he was a very handsome man as well. Stephanie hoped this worked out for the both of them.

Then, she thought about Ranger while she applied her make-up. She really missed him. He had only been gone a few days, and they still talked each day. But, it wasn't the same. How she had gone all those weeks while he was in North Carolina without losing it…well _totally_ losing it…was beyond her. The car! She had forgotten about the car. Ranger told her the car was being delivered today. No one had called her. She wasn't sure if she even wanted to see it. God…that was a bad situation. It never dawned on her that Ranger would feel insulted if she refused it. But on the other hand, she told him no cars. Lester hadn't gotten back to her about the Nova. It wouldn't surprise her in the least if there wasn't anything they could do to fix it. The car was…well…it really was a piece of shit. Maybe she should look into getting another used car…but, not _that_ old. Okay, she told herself, I need to stop thinking about the damn cars for a while. She wanted to have a good time, and couldn't wait to see Ranger. She threw a few things in her clutch, grabbed the small tote bag with Ranger's things, and the garment bag with his tux. She already brought down stuff for Ivy and left it on 5.

Tank had just gotten back from picking up Lula. Lula looked stunning. She had her weave changed with brown and honey blonde braids. It was like day and night from Luvira from Monday night. She must have been feeling better since she had on five inch spiked heels. But, Stephanie was wrong. Lula began to walk towards her…like she had just ridden the pony express all the way from California.

"Damn girl!" Lula told her. "You look as fine as I do!" There were double takes and snickers as she made her way over to Stephanie.

"You look amazing yourself, Lula," she replied. "That dress is so…you!" Bobby introduced Tammy to everyone. The limo arrived, and they went out through the lobby. Just as well, Stephanie thought. She didn't want to see the new car yet anyway. She knew that Ranger wanted to see her reaction. Right now, she still didn't know how to react. Ram took Ranger's things from Stephanie and carried them down for her. The men helped Tank get Lula in the limo. There were bottles of champagne on ice and some hor d'ouvres set out in the back. The conversation started out light. Tammy told everyone a little bit about herself. Stephanie stuffed her face with more cheese and crackers. At least the service provided bottles of water. This was good since she couldn't have any of the champagne. Then…the conversation turned to the car. Everyone but Stephanie already saw it in the garage. Tank informed them when the car was delivered that Ranger already told Stephanie. What they didn't know was that Ranger didn't tell Stephanie about the Nova.

"I can't believe you didn't run down there to see it White Girl," Lula said. Stephanie held up a hand.

"I don't want to know anything about that car yet. I don't even know what it is," she insisted.

"Well, you should be grateful since Batman replaced that piece of shit that got crushed. That thing was dangerous!" Stephanie furrowed her brow.

"What do you mean…_it got crushed_?" She looked around at the panicked faces.

"Ranger told you…he had that car crushed at Romano's……right?" As the tension built, the air seemed to thicken. It became painfully obvious that Ranger didn't mention that part. "Shit," Lula muttered under her breath.

"Bombshell…" Tank slowly began, "we took the car to Romano's. There was nothing that could be done to fix it. I _thought_ Ranger told you everything."

"All of you _knew_? He took _my_ car and crushed it?" Her voice became a bit more shrill. "That was _my_ car. Nobody had any right to take it from me!"

"It was my idea, White Girl," Lula interjected. "Don't get mad at Batman. You don't need that piece of shit anyway. A brand new Mustang is way better." Stephanie didn't want to hear anymore. That déjà vu feeling overwhelmed her again. Dickie gave her a Mustang for an engagement present. Then, he took it back along with almost everything else she had. Now, Ranger did the same thing. And, they all knew about it. Nobody said a word to her. The betrayal pierced her heart like a knife.

"Steph…." Tank started. Stephanie put up a hand and stopped him dead in his tracks. They were all sitting at the back section of the limo. She needed to distance herself from all of them. Stephanie scooted towards the front to sit by herself. She didn't even cry. She just felt numb.

They all just looked at each other…not knowing what to do. Tank's phone rang and broke the silence. It was Ranger. Tank filled him in on what just happened.

"Shit," Ranger muttered. This was not good. He wanted to tell her in person. "Let me talk to her." Tank slid his way down to Stephanie. She just sat there staring at the folded hands in her lap. She wasn't crying or making a sound. She didn't even look up as he approached her.

"Steph….Ranger's on the phone." He held out his cell. She looked at it for a second before taking it. She opened the window next to her and tossed it through the opening. Tank's jaw practically hit his lap. "Steph…" He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away.

"Don't," she whispered. "Just leave me alone."

Ranger waited for Stephanie, but all he heard was traffic. He disconnected and tried Stephanie's phone. Voice mail. He called Bobby next.

"Uh…she threw Tank's phone out the window. I'd rather not give her mine. I just got this phone," Bobby told him. They were pulling up to the Hilton.

"I'll be there in an hour. Just have my stuff sent up to the room. Do whatever to make her happy," Ranger instructed. He felt like he had a lead brick in his stomach. This was bad.

Tank tried to help Stephanie from the limo, but she refused to take his hand. She hadn't said a word to any of them. What would she say anyway? She just found out that she couldn't trust anyone. They all lied to her. And Ranger! How could he do that to her? This was the ultimate act of betrayal. Did he think giving her a new car would justify the fact that he took her car? It was obvious Ranger had absolutely no respect for her. She didn't know what to do. Should she have the limo take her home? Should she get a cab to take her to the train station? Should she call her father? Then what? She just needed to be alone for a while. She debated about going up to Ranger's hotel room to wait for him or sit in the bar for a while. She decided on the bar. Again, Tank tried to say something, but the look she gave him cut him off. She ordered a Pepsi. To hell with the no caffeine rule.

Lula pulled Tank to the dining room. "Give her a little space. I'll talk to her." Tank nodded, and they headed to their table. Lula slowly made her way over to Stephanie.

"Lemme guess…" a drunk man slurred, "…you're imitating John Wayne….right?" Lula shot him a look and smacked her lips. She continued over to Stephanie.

"I'm sorry." Stephanie looked at her blankly. Lula had never seen this side of Stephanie before. She just looked defeated and broken. "I gave him the idea. If you mad at someone….be mad at me. I never woulda said nothin' if I knew it would make you feel bad. I'm so sorry. _Please_ don't hate me, White Girl. You my only friend." Stephanie turned away and sipped on her drink. The bartender put a bowl of Chex Mix in front of them. Lula eased on to the bar stool next to her and ordered a drink. The two sat in silence.

"How could you do that to me?" Stephanie finally said. "I can't trust any of you. I understand Carlos' men. They work for him and don't have a choice. But you…"

"But, I thought if he was givin' you a _new_ car…that it be okay. You know Batman wouldn'ta done that if he thought he would hurt you. That man loves you, White Girl. You _know_ that." Stephanie shoveled a handful of Chex Mix into her mouth. She was getting hungry.

"Dickie gave me a car, and then he took it back. Carlos took my car because he didn't like _my_ choice of car. He had _no_ right to do that. Yes…the car was a piece of shit, but it was _my_ car. He told me he was getting it fixed. So on top of all that, he _lied_ to me, too. How can I _trust_ him again?" She finished off the bowl and asked for another one. It didn't take long for her to go through two more bowls. "Go enjoy yourself with Tank. I really just want to be alone. We'll talk about this another time." Lula placed a hand on her shoulder before leaving. Stephanie's engagement ring caught the overhead light and sparkled. What did she get herself into? Everything felt so out of control.

Camilla Tollson, who worked in the kitchen, was bringing some supplies to the bar when she saw Stephanie. That bitch! She knew she didn't get the job at Rangeman because of her. She wanted to get even. She ran back to the kitchen and took out the first aid kit. The bottle of syrup of ipecac was full. Sneaking back to the bar, the bartender was getting ready to refill Stephanie's drink. She distracted him by giving him the fruit he wanted while thrusting her chest into his face and poured the entire bottle into her Pepsi. Nothing like puking your guts up to ruin your evening, she laughed to herself.

Everyone looked at Lula expectantly. Lula shook her head and shrugged. "I think it's best if we just leave her be for a while. She's really hurt." Tank held out her chair, and she flopped down hard. "Damn _death-cootie_ shoes," she muttered. "She feels that this is just like her ex-husband, Dickless, stealing her shit. She said she can't trust us no more. We really hurt her feelings." Now, they all felt like shit. "I'll check on her in a little bit."

Ranger finally arrived. He didn't know Stephanie was in the bar. He hurried up to his room to get ready. Since no one had called him, he just assumed she was with the group.

After her third Pepsi and 4th bowl of Chex Mix, Stephanie's stomach felt a little tight. It wasn't a feeling of nausea…more like cramping. She began to break out in a sweat. Did they turn up the heat in there? "Are you alright?" She looked into the concerned face of the bartender. She shook her head.

"I think I'm just going outside to get a little air," she replied. She felt warm all over. Is this what too much caffeine does to you when you're pregnant, she wondered. She headed to the front entrance.

"Are you okay, Miss?" the doorman asked. She nodded and sat on a bench out front. A hot flash ran through her body just prior to cramps gripping her belly. Clutching her stomach, she cried out as she bent over in pain. Then, the vomiting began.

Ranger hurried into the dining room and quickly found their table. Again, his heart sank when he did not see Stephanie among them. Tank mouthed '_The_ _Bar_' to him across the room. Ranger nodded and headed back through the lobby. He saw a commotion out front, but wanted to get to Stephanie right away. He quickly scanned the bar. She wasn't there either. "Are you looking for a blonde…in a blue dress?" He nodded. "She didn't look too good. She went out front for some air." Ranger immediately knew that commotion was Stephanie. He ran out the front door to find a crowd around her. The doorman was kneeling by her side. She was on her knees violently throwing up on the side walk. He dropped to her side and tried to hold her.

"Babe?" She started to turn to look at him but heaved again.

"We've called an ambulance," another hotel employee told him. He pulled out his phone and called Bobby. The whine of the sirens that were heard in the distance sounded like they were getting closer. The doorman turned and vomited in the bushes. This started a small chain reaction with some other by standers.

Stephanie was mortified and terrified at the same time. Something was wrong. My God…was she losing the baby? She was making a fool of herself in front of a strange crowd. Even though she was so angry and hurt by Ranger, she was relieved he was there. Then all of a sudden, Bobby was on her other side, too. She tried to tell them what was happening but continued to heave. Ranger was talking to her, but it wasn't registering what he was saying. Her Pepsi and Chex Mix were all over her and the sidewalk. She was pretty sure she sprayed Ranger and Bobby, too. Next thing she knew, she felt herself being lifted onto a stretcher and loaded into the back of an ambulance. The paramedic tried to lay her flat, but she curled up into a ball. The sharp pains had her doubled over. An IV pinched her arm. She could hear Ranger giving the paramedic her information. It was surreal. She heard the words _possible miscarriage…no blood…maybe food poisoning. _She prayed she wasn't losing the baby. Not now.

St. Peter's was only around the corner. Stephanie was still heaving, but she had nothing left. The paramedic had given her a dose of Zofran, but it didn't have time to kick in yet. The ER doctor ordered a stat dose of Phenergan when he saw how violently she retched. He ordered blood work, IV fluid, and put in for an OB consult. Ranger stayed by her side until her stomach finally calmed down, and she fell asleep. He looked at her mascara streaked face. There was a small bathroom inside her ER room. Taking paper towels and wetting them, Ranger cleaned up her face. Then, he cleaned the vomit off her hands and arms as best as he could. Her beautiful dress was also splattered with vomit. He looked down at his tux. He wasn't much better. He pulled up the blanket and kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back, Babe," he whispered. Tank was right outside the door. "What the hell happened?" Tank shrugged.

"She was upset about the car. She didn't want to be around us and went to the bar. Lula talked to her, but she wanted to be alone. Lula said she was drinking soda. That's all I know." He cocked his head towards her room. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know. They don't know what's wrong. They're not sure if she's losing the baby." Tank winced and squeezed his shoulder. Ranger stared at the floor. "Jesus…" He swallowed hard. Ranger felt like everything was coming down on him. Stephanie was upset enough about the car, and now this. It was probably his fault. He distressed her so badly that she became sick over it. He felt a gentle hand on his arm.

"Carlos?" He looked up to see his sister, Selma. He pulled her to him. "What happened?" Ranger sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know. I've never seen her this bad. She just couldn't stop throwing up. And, she was having stomach pains."

"I'm waiting for the blood work to come back. Let's go take a look at her." She pulled Ranger into the room with her.

"I'll be in the waiting room with the others," Tank told him. Ranger nodded. Stephanie was still asleep. Selma reviewed her chart.

"They gave her 2 separate anti-emetics. It seemed to have worked." Selma pulled back the blanket and looked up her skirt. "I don't see any blood between her legs. After we get the blood work back, and she's awake, I'll do a pelvic exam. If she was having a miscarriage, I would expect bleeding. This may just even be a simple case of food poisoning." He nodded. She looked at his stained tux. "Do you want a set of clean scrubs?" He shook his head.

"I'm alright." He stroked Stephanie's hair. "Is _she_ going to be alright?"

"I'll know more after I complete my work up, but I'm sure she will be fine." Her pager went off. "I'll be back in a little bit. Call me on my cell if you need me in the mean time."

"Thanks, Selma." Ranger pulled the chair in the corner over to the side of the stretcher. He laid his head next to hers and laced his hand in hers. "Everything's going to be okay, Babe," he whispered to her.

Tank, Lula, Bobby, Tammy, Ram, and Woody either sat or paced in the waiting room. "Look…why don't you all go home? I'll stay here and call you when I hear something," Tank said.

"Hell no," Lula told him. "I ain't goin' nowhere till I hear that White Girl is okay." Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"This could take a while," Tank added.

"I really don't care," Bobby said. He turned to Tammy. "If you'd like to go home, I'll take you. But, I want to come back if that's okay." Tammy smiled.

"I'll be okay. I do need to get home because I have to work tomorrow. But, I would like to stay a little longer. I want to make sure Stephanie's okay, too." Bobby smiled, and then kissed her.

"Thanks."

"Uh…how about I get us something to eat?" Woody offered.

"How can you be thinkin' of food after all that pukin'?" Lula huffed. "All I can think of is her spewin' that Chex Mix all over the doorman. Then, him ralphin' in the bushes. Where were you goin' to go?" Woody took their orders and walked across the street to the sub shop.

Stephanie felt like she had been run over by a Mack truck. There was a dull ache in her stomach and mild cramps lower down. Even her neck and back were sore. Stephanie's mind raced as it tried to figure out what happened. Oh yeah…awards dinner…feeling sick…vomiting on the doorman. A familiar warmth covered her hand. Opening her eyes, she saw Ranger. His head sat on the stretcher next to hers with his eyes studying her intently. Then, she remembered about the car. He brought the hand he was holding to his mouth and gave it a gentle kiss. "How are you feeling, Babe?" She stared at him a while before answering his question.

"Okay."

"What happened?" Sure, he wants to know _everything_ but won't tell me _anything_, she thought.

"Nothing." Ranger let out a barely audible sigh.

"Babe." She pulled her hand out of his and rolled over.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The door to the room opened, and Selma peaked through the crack. "Is she awake yet?" Ranger nodded. Stephanie turned over and tried to sit up. Groaning, she flopped back onto the stretcher. Her head spun like a top.

"Hi, Stephanie," Selma began as she approached the stretcher. "Are you feeling any better?" She looked back and forth between Ranger and Selma, then nodded. "I have the results of the lab work so far…"

"I'd like him to leave so we can discuss this…" she said cutting her off. Selma's eyes widened. Ranger jumped up.

"I'm not leaving, Babe," he told her.

"It's my right to privacy….right?" Stephanie asked Selma. Selma looked at Ranger, and then back to Stephanie before nodding.

"She's right, Carlos. Why don't you step out a moment so Stephanie and I can talk?" Ranger stared at Stephanie, but she looked away. He went to reach for her, but Selma stopped him. "Just give us a minute…please?" Ranger looked at Selma and nodded before he left the room. "Do you want to tell me what that was all about?" A single tear ran down her face. Selma handed her a tissue.

"He took my car and lied to me. Everyone lied to me. I can't trust him anymore," Stephanie told her. Selma hugged her.

"Stephanie, I know it doesn't make it right, but Carlos loves you so much. And…_all _men do stupid things. I can't even tell you how many times I wanted to kill Jose because he went against my wishes." This got Stephanie's attention. "If he gets me one more new car….I think I'll scream."

"Carlos got me a new car after I told him not to," she admitted. "I haven't even seen it yet, but then, I found out he took my old car and had it crushed. My ex-husband did things like that. Carlos just doesn't respect me." Selma laughed. Stephanie frowned.

"Oh…he _does_ respect you," she insisted. "I'm not going to make excuses for my little brother. And, I'm not saying what he did was right either. But, you have turned my little brother upside down and inside out. _Punish_ him…but don't _push_ him away." Stephanie shrugged. "Well…let's get down to business."

"What's wrong with me? I mean…I've never had that happen before," Stephanie explained.

"Tell me what happened."

"I was drinking Pepsi. Okay…I didn't have the caffeine _free_ kind, and I ate a couple bowls of Chex Mix. Well…maybe more than a couple. I started to have some stomach pains and felt hot. I went outside to get some air. Then, I got really _bad_ cramps and started throwing up. It was never _that_ bad before." Selma nodded. "And, I _never_ had any cramps."

"Your labs show that you are very dehydrated. Morning sickness is quite normal, but it sounds more like you have hyperemesis gravidarum." Stephanie's eye's got as big as saucers. Selma squeezed her hand. "It's a fancy term for excessive vomiting during pregnancy. We've got medication for that. You responded pretty well after getting some tonight. But, the other thing we found was that your HCG levels are through the roof."

"Is that bad? Am I losing the baby?"

"I don't think so. I'd like to do a pelvic exam and check your cervix. I don't see any bleeding, so I think that is unlikely. Elevated levels can indicate things like ectopic pregnancy. You've had an ultrasound that confirmed an IUP…uh…intrauterine pregnancy, so that's out as well as a hydatiform mole or tumor growing in there. So, the last thing I'd like to do is another ultrasound to check for a multi-gestational pregnancy."

"A multi-what?"

"Multi-gestational…more than one baby…." Stephanie waved her hands in front of her face.

"Whoa…whoa…whoa….back up a second. What do you mean…._more than_ _one_ baby? There can't be _more than one_ baby in there!"

"Well…twins do run in our family, Steph."

"_No_! I had an ultrasound that showed only _one_…" She held up one finger to emphasize her point. "…_one_ baby in there." Selma shrugged.

"It's possible to not find additional embryos that early. That could also explain the hyperemesis gravidarum as well. But, you might just have elevated HCG levels alone."

"Shit," she muttered under her breath. Like her day didn't _suck_ enough!

"I want to admit you for at least overnight. You are extremely dehydrated. That in itself can cause stomach cramping and vomiting. Then, it's strict bed rest for 2 days. I'd like you to follow up with your own doctor on Friday. Freda James?" Stephanie nodded. "I'll have my office call hers in the morning and set up your follow up appointment. I'm going to have the nurses get you set up for the pelvic exam. I'll be right back." She walked out into the hallway to find Ranger leaning against the wall. He followed her to the nurse's station.

"Well?"

"Carlos, I can't discuss anything with you unless Stephanie gives me permission." She jotted down some more orders on Stephanie's chart. As a last minute thought, she added a urine and blood toxicology screen. Maybe something she ingested aggravated the situation.

"Come on, Selma," Ranger begged. "That's my fiancée and my child in there. I have a _right_ to know what's going on."

"Actually, Carlos…you don't. Even if you _were_ married, if the patient refuses to release information…you're shit out of luck. Oh…by the way…good move with the car. When are you men going to learn?" Ranger closed his eyes and sighed.

"Selma…you didn't see that piece of shit she was driving…." Selma stopped him with a look. His mother had the same look. It was pretty effective. Selma had it down pat. No wonder Jose was so whipped.

"Stop trying to make excuses for yourself. It was a shitty thing to do, and now you broke her trust so give yourself a pat on the back. Have a seat in the waiting room." She pointed to the door. He stared at her incredulous for a moment before heading to the waiting room.

He broke her trust? She doesn't trust him anymore? Shit. He fucked up big time. Trust was such a major issue for her. Because he was so pig-headed about that stupid car, he destroyed the one relationship he had that meant everything to him. He couldn't imagine his life without Stephanie. What would he do if she didn't forgive him? Sulking, he took a seat in the waiting room next to Tank. "Is she going to be okay?" Ranger just nodded. "What's wrong?" He didn't answer.

Tank saw the same defeated look on Ranger's usually blank face that Bombshell had in the limo. After connecting the dots, he realized that she must have kicked him out of the room. Jesus, he thought, are they breaking up over this? He saw that Lula was getting ready to ask Ranger questions, but he gave her a warning look. Now was not the time to pull the tiger's tail.

Selma completed the exam. "Good. Cervix is closed, and there is no blood. When you're ready, we need a urine sample." Stephanie nodded.

"I think I can go now." She tipped her head towards the IV bag that hung above her. She was on her third liter bag. The nurse walked her to the bathroom. She was unsteady on her feet. She got her sample before she finished. She capped and gave the container to the nurse before washing her hands. The nurse brought her a toothbrush and toothpaste. "Thank you." Selma helped her back to the stretcher when she finished.

"We'll get the ultrasound next. I'll see how long the wait is for that," she told her. Stephanie nodded. "Are you getting hungry?"

"Yes. Whatever that medicine was sure did the job. I'm still having some cramps though."

"I'll have them bring you some ginger ale and crackers. If you do okay with that, I'll order you a tray…or, you can have Carlos bring you something." Stephanie rolled her eyes. "I sent him to the waiting room, but he wasn't too happy about it. Uh…it's up to you, Stephanie, but do you want to let him come back for the ultrasound?" She rubbed her face with both hands, then nodded. It was his baby…or babies…whatever…too. No matter how angry she was at him, it wasn't fair to keep him from the experience of seeing him…her…them…whatever! "Can I let him back here now?" She took a deep breath and blew it out. Glancing down at her ring, she nodded.

"Yeah."

"Things will work out, Stephanie. I'm not sticking up for Carlos. But, men are men. They do stupid things for the right reasons. It doesn't mean they get excused for that. But, they're still men. They don't _get it_ like us women do." She gave her a huge smile. Stephanie smiled back. "I know he was wrong. He did it because he loves you so much." Stephanie smirked.

"Maybe he should _love_ me a little less," she groaned.

"He can't. That's not Carlos. He never does anything half way. I'll go let him off the hook now. Be right back." Stephanie didn't know what the future would hold for them. All she knew at that moment was that she needed and wanted him. She couldn't see her life without him.

Selma felt sorry for Ranger. He was a good man, with a good heart, but clueless when it came to relationships. He jumped up as soon as he saw her in the waiting room. She smiled and waved him towards her. She watched as a flood of relief appeared to wash over him. "Is everything alright? What's going on? What's wrong with her? Is the baby alright?" She put up her hands.

"Slow down, Carlos. She still hasn't given me permission to tell you anything." His face fell. "But, she wants you there for the ultrasound. Don't _demand_ the information from her. Let her _share_ it with you…understand?" He smiled and nodded.

"Yeah." He kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Selma." She pinched his cheek and, he grimaced. Ranger heard the snickers behind him.

"Go on." She pointed to Stephanie's room. Ranger practically ran to the door. He almost barged right in, but he decided to knock at the last second.

"Come in," came Stephanie's tired voice. He slowly entered the room. "You knocked?" He nodded.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he strolled over to her bedside. She sipped on the ginger ale.

"Better." A tear ran down her face. He pulled her to him.

"Please tell me what's wrong." She held him tight as the tears fell. He rubbed her back with his left hand since the right arm was still in a sling. Hopefully, he would lose that stupid thing on Friday after his doctor's appointment. "It's okay, Babe. We'll deal with this together." He kissed her temple. At least this time, she didn't pull away from him.

Having Ranger hold her was so comforting. She always drew strength from him. The smell of Bulgari was soothing…too bad it was mixed with a hint of Chex Mix and Pepsi reruns. Stephanie wasn't sure what to do about their future together, but she needed him now. Was arguing about a car worth throwing their relationship away? But, it wasn't about a car. He _lied_ to her. That was what hurt her the most. She collected herself after a few minutes. She cleared her throat before she spoke. "Selma wants me to stay overnight. She said I'm dehydrated." Ranger pulled back so he could look her in the eye as she spoke. "She said I have hyper-_misses_ grava-_something_…uh…excessive vomiting during pregnancy and…." She stopped to take a deep breath.

"And what, Babe?" Shit…Selma told him not to push. But, he couldn't help it. There was something wrong, and he had to know what it was.

"She said my HCG levels are really high. And, that could mean that there might be more than one baby in here." She massaged her belly. "Twins run in your family." Holy Shit! He was used to the idea of Stephanie having _a_ baby. Hell, he was even excited about it. But two…or _more_…babies? Ranger was shocked. This wasn't _bad_ news…just _unexpected_ news. Obviously, Stephanie wasn't dealing too well with it either. He needed to be strong for her. If she saw that he accepted it, she might relax a little bit.

"Twins aren't so bad. We can do this, Babe. We'll have a lot of help," he softly explained.

"But, what if there are like…_eight_ of them in there? I don't want to be like that freak Octo-_pus,_ or whatever they call her!" Ranger smirked.

"Octo-_mom_?"

"Yeah…the plastic surgery junkie that has no job and 52 million kids. Oh my God Carlos…what are we going to do? Don't even think about us doing a reality show! What if I'm having a whole _litter_? Do you realize how _fat_ I'm going to get?"

"We can handle anything as long as we're together." He tucked a loose curl behind one ear. "I'm sorry about the car. I was wrong. I never meant to hurt you, Babe. You trusted me, and I didn't mean to betray that trust. You told me that you were afraid to drive nice cars. Well…I was afraid of you driving that car. I'm not used to being afraid…makes me do stupid things. I'm not making excuses for what I did…just tell me what I can do to fix this. To get your trust back."

"You lied to me. And, you took what was mine. That's exactly what Dickie did to me…"

"I'm _not_ Dickie!" he interrupted her.

"No…you're not. That's why I didn't expect this from you." She flopped on her back. "I don't know what to do to fix this." He grabbed her hand.

"Don't say that. We can work through this…_please_." Selma entered the room again.

"They're ready to do the ultrasound now." Stephanie looked up at Ranger, then over at Selma.

"Okay…we're ready, too."

The tech entered Stephanie's information into the machine. Ranger stood by her side and held her hand. Please only be one…please only be one, she chanted to herself over and over again. Selma joined them when the tech squeezed the cold gel on Stephanie's still flat belly. She flinched. "I know," the tech told her, "it's cold." She placed the transducer over her uterus and slowly moved it around till she found the heartbeat. The rhythmic beat filled the room.

"Is that…" Ranger began.

"The heartbeat," Selma finished. Ranger strained to see the screen.

"Please tell me there are not 8 of them in there!" Stephanie begged. The tech moved the transducer again.

"Nope. Just one." Stephanie let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh…thank God!" Ranger grinned at her.

"Oops…spoke too soon…here's another one." Stephanie covered her face with both hands and groaned. The tech continued to move the transducer around her belly.

"There are only 2, right?" Stephanie asked. She needed confirmation. Selma smiled.

"Only 2, Steph. Congratulations." Ranger smiled. He hugged Stephanie.

"It's going to be fine, Babe. I promise." He brushed his lips gently against hers in a lingering kiss.

The second heartbeat was heard. Selma began to point out the two embryos, their hearts, and their sacs. Stephanie and Ranger just stared at the screen. Everything was going right over her head. She was so relieved that she wasn't having a litter that she didn't need to hear anymore.

"Can you tell what they are?" Ranger asked. He was fascinated. He never got to see an ultrasound with Rachel and Julie. He had the earlier ultrasound picture, but this was different. He was watching their hearts beat and seeing it live. Selma chuckled.

"No…but, it's a set of fraternal twins. See…" She pointed out each sac. "They each have their own sac. Identical twins share a sac." Ranger hugged and kissed her again.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear. She was still angry and hurt, but she loved him more than anything.

"I love you, too," she mouthed back.

He found her purse on the sidewalk in front of the hotel. Driver's license, makeup, a small amount of cash, and mints. He didn't know what to make of the situation with Miss Plum at the bar while the others were in the banquet room. And now this. It almost appeared as if someone poisoned her. Interesting. He overheard the paramedic say they were taking her to St. Peter's. He found the hospital with no problem and seated himself in the ER waiting room. He watched as the group she came with anxiously waited for news on her condition. He, too, was curious to know what was going on. If she had some sort of illness, Henried may not want her after all. Then, he heard one of the men talking about a baby. Baby? He smiled. She's pregnant. This may turn out to be better than expected after all. He stepped outside to make a phone call.

The nurse brought Stephanie a sandwich tray and told her that she would be moved to a room within the hour. "I'll just let Tank know…." Stephanie cut him off.

"No…I don't want anyone to know yet!" she insisted. He furrowed his brow. "Just tell them I'm okay. I have to get used to this myself. _Please_, Carlos…don't." He nodded and kissed the top of her head.

"I won't say anything yet. But, they have to get back. I'll have them get my things from the hotel and send a car for us tomorrow." She yawned and stretched.

"You can go home with them. I just want to be alone tonight."

"I want to stay with you. Come on, Babe…I haven't seen you for days. You're sick. We just got some surprising news. And…we need to talk." She shook her head.

"I need time to think."

"Think about what?" This didn't sound good at all. She let out a small sigh.

"About us. About having twins. If I think I can ever trust you again. I need space right now." Ranger's jaw tightened.

"It's not over between us, Babe. Don't say that."

"I _didn't_ say that. I love you, Carlos. I know you wouldn't ever do anything to intentionally hurt me. At least I don't _think_ you would. But, I can't be with someone that thinks he owns me either. If I want to drive a piece of shit car, I have a right to. If there is a job I want to do, I should be able to decide if I can do it. You keep making decisions _for_ me. You expect me to tell you everything, but tell me nothing in return. Those things might seem stupid to you, but they are important to me. Right now, I'm upset, I'm tired, my body hurts, and I feel like I've been on this emotional roller coaster that won't seem to stop. I just want to be alone right now."

"I don't think I own you, Babe. I just want to protect you. I don't want anything bad to happen to you…that's all." He rose from his chair. "I'll stay at the Hilton tonight. I'm not going back to Trenton till you come with me. I'll let Tank and the others know what's going on. We'll have Ella pack a bag for you, and they'll send someone to pick us up tomorrow."

"Okay." He turned to leave but she grabbed his arm. "It's not over, Carlos."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Ranger gave the anxious crowd a brief update in the waiting room. He left out the news of the twins like Stephanie requested. "Can we see her?" Lula asked. Ranger shrugged.

"She said she wanted to be alone right now, but I'll ask her." He returned to her room.

"Whew! I'm glad White Girl's gonna be okay." Tank put an arm around her.

"You and me, both," he agreed. Ranger came back a few minutes later.

"She dozed off. I don't want to wake her. You'll just have to wait till tomorrow," he apologized. He wasn't sure if Stephanie would have agreed to visitors or not, so he was a little relieved to see that she had fallen asleep. "Let's get out of here." Tank looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"You're not staying?"

"Just drop me back at the Hilton. I want to shower and change. You can head home from there."

The man watched as the crew from Rangeman left. He assumed the Hispanic man they called _Ranger_ was the father. He also got the impression there was a little turmoil between them. Another plus. He contacted Henried again. Since she was staying overnight anyway, he was cleared to leave. He would have another man watch the Haywood office building for her return. Henried was definitely interested in Stephanie Plum. He was sure he could make a retirement _nest egg_ killing from the fees he could get for her and her baby. Ethnically mixed babies were hot on the European market these days.

The limo dropped Ranger in front of the Hilton. "Have Ella pack a bag for Stephanie, and whoever comes to pick us up tomorrow morning can bring it," Ranger reminded Tank before they left. Because he was so involved with processing his thoughts, he didn't see Camilla strolling towards him.

"Well…hello Carlos," she purred. Ranger turned around to look at her after he smacked the elevator button. It took a few seconds for it to register who she was. "It's so nice to see you again." Ranger just gave her a nod. He wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. She sauntered over to him. "I see you're alone. I can keep you company tonight." If Ranger had the energy, he would have given her his best death glare. The doors rolled open, and he stepped inside. He pushed the button for his floor.

"Not interested," he told her as the doors closed in her face. Christ. That would have been all he needed on top of everything else. Now that the adrenaline rush of the day seemed to be dissipating, he noticed how hungry he was. It was still fairly early at 9:00. He let himself into his room and called room service. He decided to take a shower, eat dinner, and head back to the hospital for another visit before she kicked him out again. Ranger's mind was still reeling over what had happened. Stephanie told him that it wasn't over. Yeah, it might not be over, but it was sure different now. _Twins_! They were having _twins_! That was the _least_ of his worries. Twins would be a lot of work. Especially on Stephanie. But, they had a lot of family and friends to help. Not that he wouldn't help, but he still had a company to run. Maybe they should talk about hiring at least a part time nanny? He might not be able to put off buying a house like he intended to.

He stripped off the stained tux. Ranger surveyed the damage. He didn't know whether to attempt to have it dry-cleaned or just toss it. He showered and changed into black sweat pants and a pullover Rangeman hoodie. He sank into the comfortable looking chair by the window and clicked the remote for the TV. It wasn't much longer before Room Service knocked on the door. To his dismay, it was Camilla again. "Room Service," she cooed sweetly. Ranger groaned. She rolled in the cart. "Where would you like me?" Ranger held the door open.

"You can leave the tray on the table." Her smiled slipped a notch, but did as she was asked. She sat on the bed, leaned back on both hands, and crossed her legs.

"Would you like me to turn your bed down, Carlos?"

"No." He gestured to the open door. When she didn't move, he sighed. "I'm not in the mood for this, Miss Toe. I want you to leave right now." The phone rang. After glaring at each other, Camilla scrambled to answer it.

"Hello?...Yes, it is…..Well, who is this?" Ranger knew right away it was Stephanie. Fuck!

"Get out!" he commanded and grabbed the phone. She gave him a smug little smile.

"See you around, Carlos." She walked slowly and defiantly towards the door. He waited till it locked closed before answering the call.

"Hello?" he asked cautiously. Ranger almost wanted to jump up and down when it was the chairman of the awards dinner. He had heard about Stephanie's illness and was calling to check on her. He also had the plaque for Rangeman's service award that he wanted to present him. He thought for sure it was Stephanie. And…why not? Everything else seemed to be going _so_ _well_ for him that day.

He quickly ate his dinner and hurried back to the hospital. St. Peter's was in walking distance. Stephanie had been moved to her room. She was surprised to see him. "Don't worry," he told her. "I'm not staying. I just wanted to check on you before I called it a night." Her nurse's aide, Kathy, slipped in behind him.

"I brought you back a hamburger and fries. They didn't have any pizza left downstairs." She set a white bag on Stephanie's bedside table.

"Thanks, Kathy. I'm so hungry," she replied as she tore the bag open.

"I find that hard to believe after all the turkey sandwiches you ate." She laughed at her. Ranger smirked and took out his wallet.

"What do we owe you?" She gave him a dismissive wave.

"Dr Ortiz left her some food vouchers. We got it covered. Need anything else, Stephanie?" She shook her head.

"No thanks, Kathy. I'm good for now." Ranger took the seat next to the bed.

"I guess I don't have to ask if you're feeling better," he chuckled. She looked a lot better. Even her coloring improved.

"Whatever that stuff was that they gave me today _really_ worked. I'm starving," she replied with a mouthful of fries. "I can't seem to get enough." She sipped her drink. "Well…I _am_ eating for _3_ now." This got her the full 200 watt grin.

"Babe, you ate for at least 3 people _before_ you were pregnant." She rolled her eyes.

"Well…now I'm eating for _5_! You're not going to give me a hard time about _this_ too…are you?" She pointed to the burger in her hand.

"Not today."

"Jerk." He watched her finish what sounded to be like her 3rd or 4th dinner. With the way his luck was going, he needed to tell her about Camilla before she somehow found out from an orderly or something.

"I guess when we didn't hire that Toe woman, she got a job at the Hilton," he began. He saw it took a few minutes for her to realize who he was talking about.

"You mean Camel Toe?" He nodded.

"She offered to keep me company tonight while I was heading up to my room. Then, she brought up my dinner from room service. She still doesn't like being told no." She looked at him blankly. "I'd rather keep _you_ company." Okay, maybe that was a little unfair, but he hoped she would ask him to stay now.

"Can you help me up? I have to use the bathroom." He helped get everything untangled and lowered the side rails for her. She held on to him while he rolled the IV poll along. After she was done, he helped her back to bed. "I would have liked to go for a walk, but I'm supposed to be on bed rest because of the cramps."

"How are you dealing with the idea of twins?" She shrugged and just sighed.

"Still in shock I guess. I don't think it's really sunk in yet. How about you?" He pulled the chair closer to the bed and took her hand.

"I usually don't like surprises," he admitted. "But…the more I get used to the idea, the more I'm getting excited about it." She raised her eyebrows.

"_Really_?" He kissed the back of her hand.

"Yeah…really." The conversation turned back to Camilla.

"Is…uh…Camel Toe working tonight?" Ranger shrugged, but bit back a smile. Nice to see a little jealousy.

"Nothing to worry about, Babe. You're the one I love." She gave him a weak smile as she pulled her hand from his.

"I do love you, Carlos. You really hurt me, you know." The pained expression on her face and the single tear that ran down her cheek weakened his legs. He was grateful that he was seated. "I never expected you to lie to me. How do I know you won't do that again? Or, that everything else you told me was a lie?" She ran a hand through his hair. He took it back in his own, kissed her palm, and then entwined his fingers through hers.

"I'm sorry," he told her as he gently caressed the back of her hand with his thumb. He didn't know what else to say. He was ready to give her all his excuses that he was protecting her and had her best interest at heart. But, they just didn't seem to make up for what he did. She squeezed his hand before pulling it back again.

"I'm going to try to get some sleep now. I'll see you tomorrow." She was dismissing him again. He fought the urge to beg her to let him stay. Pushing her would probably not be in his best interest now. He dropped his head then slowly nodded.

"Okay." Rising from the chair, he bent over and gave her a slow and lingering kiss. A hint of promise eased his mind as she kissed him back. "I'll see you for breakfast, Babe." He traced a finger down the side of her face. "I love you." Placing a hand on her belly, he moved it in a slow circle. "And, I love them." She covered his hand with hers.

Ranger knew sleep was an impossibility. He wandered around New Brunswick for about an hour before he returned to the Hilton. He didn't see Camilla around…thank God. He snapped on the TV, got undressed, and slid into bed. The TV didn't help take his mind off how badly he screwed things up with Stephanie.

Stephanie's mind was in overdrive. She flopped around on the bed every few minutes. There didn't seem to be any position that would allow her brain to shut down. Kym, her nurse for the evening, snuck into the room to change the IV bag. "Sorry. Didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't. I can't sleep. Too much on my mind, I guess."

"Want to talk about it?" What the hell, Stephanie thought. Can't hurt to talk to someone not involved in any of their lives.

"I just found out that my finance took my old car, had it destroyed, and bought me a new car. After I told him _not_ to. He told me he was taking it to get it fixed. He flat out lied to me. And, he's _always_ making decisions for me. Maybe this wouldn't have been so bad if my ex-husband didn't do the same thing. Dickie really screwed me over."

"You were actually married to an adult male that still called himself _Dickie_?" Stephanie rolled her eyes then nodded.

"Oddly enough…the name fit. He really _was_ a dick." Kym snorted.

"So…what was the reason he gave you that he took your car?" Stephanie sighed.

"Because he thought the car wasn't safe. And, he wanted me to have a good car." Stephanie covered her hands with her face and groaned. "It doesn't sound _that_ bad when I say it out loud." Kym laughed.

"Yeah…it does sound like he cares. That _bastard_!" Stephanie giggled.

"I don't like having my choices taken away, or someone always telling me what to do. Not only does it make me feel stupid, but it makes me feel like he doesn't have any respect for me. My ex lied to me all the time. I can't let myself get stuck in a relationship like that again." She rubbed her belly. "And, I have these guys to think about now."

"Well…let's forget for a moment what an _amazing_ ass he has…" Kym began with a wink. Stephanie raised her eyebrows. "We all checked him out from the nurse's station when he walked down the hall. You're a lucky lady, Steph. The man is hot." Stephanie smiled. No argument there! "Is he a good man?" Stephanie nodded.

"Yeah."

"Did he do this to hurt you? Or, did he hurt you by accident?" Shit, it sounded so simple like that.

"It was an accident. He thought he was doing what was best for me. But, that doesn't make it right! He has to understand that. We are partners. He's _not_ my boss." She pursed her lips. "Well, he really _is_ my boss, but I mean _outside_ of work."

"No, he was wrong. He made a mistake. So, you get even and move on. When my husband pisses me off, I just reach down…like I'm going to give him a gentle squeeze…and, grab a few hairs and twist and pull." Stephanie stared at her in disbelief. Kathy had joined them while Kym was giving her pointers.

"Are you serious?" She looked at Kathy's and Kym's faces to check to see if they were pulling her leg.

"Oh yeah," Kathy told her. "She's serious. It works too. I tried that on my husband. Believe me. He learned quickly and doesn't do it again."

"Damn straight," Kym added. "The pain gives them a little incentive to behave, and you don't damage the goods. A good kick in the balls works too, but why would you want to cut your nose off to spite your face? You don't want to damage the equipment." Stephanie had to hold her side from laughing so hard. Tears streamed down her face. All she could think about was Ranger's reaction if she had done that to him. "Okay…now back to work. When you have your barf-o-rama in the morning, is it usually around the same time?" Stephanie wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and got herself under control.

"Somewhere around 5 or 6 o'clock. It has been pretty consistent." Kym made a note in her chart.

"Okay. Selma wrote an order for the Phenergan. I'll give it to you about 4. I can put it in your IV, and don't have to wake you up. We'll see if that works. I don't want to give it to you too soon…or too late either. Hopefully, you'll have a puke free morning." Stephanie smiled.

"That would be nice," she agreed. Kathy and Kym left to tend to another patient. She thought about what everyone said. Her head had finally agreed with what her heart had said all along. Ranger didn't mean to hurt her. He just wanted the best for her. Ranger didn't see anything but black and white when it came to taking care of her. Dickie, on the other hand, meant to hurt her. Everything that Dickie did was for his own benefit. The ache in her heart was gone. Now to deal with the news of having twins. _Figures_. She should have expected something like this to happen. Typical for the life of Stephanie Plum. Would it really be that bad? _Two_ babies? She would really have to avoid the office now. She would be supporting several charities in the Trenton area because of that _damn_ Swear Jar. With exhaustion looming, her brain was shutting down, and she just didn't want to think anymore. In one aspect, she was sorry she kicked Ranger out. Having his big strong arms around her while she slept was always so comforting. But, she was glad she took the time she needed to sort this out.

Looking at his watch, Ranger had been staring at the ceiling for almost two hours. He glanced down towards his feet. Someone else had been staring at the ceiling for a while as well. It seemed like forever since he'd been inside her. He hoped that his body would just crash from the extreme fatigue. He hadn't slept much in the past few days. No sex and no sleep. He took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. And, no Stephanie. He would never give up. If he had to get on his knees and beg her every day to forgive him, he would. He sure wouldn't go down without a fight, but this was one time that he couldn't force someone to see things his way. He had no control over her feelings. Shit, he hardly had control over his _own_ feelings where Stephanie was concerned. He got up and stripped off the rest of his clothes. Turning the cold water on high, he involuntarily shivered as he stepped under the icy stream. One problem solved. He quickly toweled off and redressed. The desire to see her burned inside him. He would just peek in to check on her, and then he would return to the hotel. Besides, he needed to walk around anyway. At least this wouldn't be caught on camera like at Haywood.

Kym and Kathy watched as Ranger came down the hall. They exchanged smiles when he paced outside Stephanie's room. An internal struggle kept him from entering the room. Finally, he leaned against the door frame and simply stared at her sleeping form.

Stephanie had trouble sleeping as well. She dozed off, then awakened thirty to forty minutes later. She felt his presence before she even opened her eyes. There he was, leaning in the doorway. He straightened up when he realized that she was awake. "Carlos?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. Um…I couldn't sleep." He looked horrible. It was time. They needed to move past this. Besides, the idea of a little retribution was kind of appealing. She scooted back and patted the empty space in front of her. His 200 watt smile practically lit up the dim room.

Ranger didn't hesitate. He was over to the bed in two strides. He toed off his sneakers and slid in next to her. He felt like an elephant was removed from his back. "I love you, Stephanie. I can't live without you." She responded with a gentle, but insistent kiss. Her hand that was splayed across his chest shifted down into the waistband of his sweats. He moaned in her mouth. The feel of her hand as she stroked and caressed him drove him wild. In spite of the fact he was immensely enjoying her touch, reality started to set in, and he remembered that he couldn't reciprocate. Before he tried to stop her, she cupped his balls one more time and began to pull back. "OOOOWWWW!" He rolled off the side of the bed and grabbed his crotch. "_Shit!_"

"I'll be damned," she muttered. "It _does_ work." He massaged the area where she pulled his pubic hair.

"What the hell was that about?" he cried out. Jesus! That hurt like a mother fucker, he thought. And, he didn't need another cold shower now either.

"I feel a _whole_ lot better. I can forgive you now, Carlos," she told him as she rubbed his back. He craned his head around to look at her face. She lay there giving him that heart-melting smile.

"Did you just grab me by the short hairs as punishment?"

"Uh huh." He raised one eyebrow before the corners of his mouth tipped up into a slow smile. He slid back in bed, awkwardly pulling her towards him because of his shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him, and snuggled into his nook. "We have a lot to work on. Not just you…me, too. After thinking about what happened…comparing what you did to what Dickie did, was a good thing. It made me realize that the difference is that you hurt me by _accident_. Dickie hurt me _on_ _purpose_. I know that sounds so stupid, but it really puts things in perspective for me. I really want this to work, Carlos. Not because we're having a baby…uh…ba_bies_ together, but because we love each other."

"I'm sorry I hurt you. Honestly, I thought you'd be a little pissed at me, but you would get over it. If I thought for a second that this would have happened, I would never have done it. Babe…I _hated_ that car. I hated you driving it. I hated looking at it. I hated it parked in my garage. I hated the God damn back-firing, and the smoke screen. But, I would have put up with all of it, if I thought getting rid of the car would cause me to lose your trust. I'm sure there are going to be other problems that come up. I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with either." Stephanie snorted.

"Me neither." He hugged her to him.

"But, we'll figure it out together. I promise." He kissed the top of her head. "I'm going to try to sleep now. You're not going to grab my pubic hair anymore, are you?" She couldn't help but smile.

"Not today." She felt his body hitch as she giggled. It wasn't long before either of them fell asleep.

Selma was not surprised to see Stephanie in her brother's arms when she made her morning rounds. The Phenergan must have worked as Kym reported that Stephanie had not had any vomiting so far that morning. She was glad to see Ranger getting some rest. Both of them looked tired and drained last night. She decided to complete her rounds and save them for last. The blood and urine toxicology reports were not back. She put Stephanie's chart back in the rack, and went to see her other patients. By the time she got back to her room, Ranger and Stephanie were awake.

"Good morning," she told them as she entered. "I see the medicine worked. How do you feel today?"

"Much better. I haven't felt this good in a while," Stephanie replied with a yawn. Ranger stood up and turned away to massage his groin area. Selma leaned towards Stephanie.

"It really works, doesn't it?" Stephanie's eyes widened, and she clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her laugh. "That's how I keep Jose in line." Ranger groaned. He didn't find it all that funny. "Any more stomach cramps?" She shook her head.

"My stomach feels achy…but, no cramping. Can I go home today?" Selma nodded.

"I'll write up your discharge paperwork as soon as we're done here. I'll have my office call Dr James' office first thing this morning. I want her to see you Friday. But, here comes the bad news. I want you on strict bed rest till then. Only get up to use the bathroom. You can shower, but make it quick. This is standard for anyone having cramps or spotting, so don't read more into than there is. I'm writing you a prescription for Phenergan, both pills and suppositories…"

"Suppositories?" Selma nodded. "I am _so_ not sticking anything in my butt!" Selma and Ranger laughed.

"Sorry, Steph. If you are throwing up, taking a pill is not going to help because that will come back up, too. This way, you'll be able to get the medicine into your system to help settle your stomach. I want you to drink as much fluids as you can. You may even want to have some Gatorade on hand. That will give you some electrolytes, but water it down. There is so much sugar in there, and believe it or not, that can _cause_ dehydration. No work, obviously, because you're on bed rest. You can read, watch TV…but…" She turned to look at Ranger. "No sex." She gave him Maria's special look again. "Nada…do you hear me, Carlos?" In another rare moment, Ranger's face took on a little rosy hue. "You can resume _real life_ after Dr. James gives you clearance…okay?" Both Stephanie and Ranger nodded. "Any questions?"

"Can't think of any now. Oh…any chance of you ever practicing in Trenton?" Stephanie asked. "I wish you were my doctor." Ranger silently agreed. Selma smirked.

"Not any time soon. You can always come see me, Steph, for any concerns. Let me get your discharge rolling. I'll see you before you leave." Ranger decided to head back to the hotel to get his things and check out. He called Tank on the way there. Tank informed him that he would send Bobby and Lester to pick them up.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Bobby gave Lester the rundown on the night before. "I can't believe I'm just hearing about this now. Where the hell was I?" Bobby shrugged and pumped his closed fist over his crotch. Lester acknowledged that gesture with one of his own.

"Steph was _really_ upset about the car. She wouldn't talk to us. Hell, she wouldn't even sit with us at the dinner. She kicked Ranger out of her room. Well, she did let him back for the ultrasound, but there's trouble there. Ranger doesn't show his feelings much, but I could see it in his face." Lester's eyes widened.

"Shit," he muttered. "Do you think they're going to break up over this?" He wanted to crawl under a rock. He helped to get rid of that piece of shit.

"I don't know," Bobby replied. "Man, Les, she was so sick. I haven't seen someone throw up like that since I was back in the service. We had to induce vomiting on some guy who just took a bottle of pills. He caught his girlfriend with another guy. Steph was pukin' so hard…I expected to see her throw up some guy fishing in a rowboat or something."

"Is she going to be okay?" Bobby nodded.

"Tank said Ranger sounded calm on the phone. And…they wouldn't be releasing her if she wasn't." Lester slumped down in his seat. That was true. If she was really bad off, they would have kept her in the hospital longer. "I get the feeling something else is going on that Ranger didn't tell us. He wouldn't let us go back and see her. He said she was sleeping, but I don't know. I guess we'll find out when we get there." They drove the rest of the way in silence.

Bobby and Lester cautiously entered the room. Stephanie napped while Ranger held her hand as he sat in the chair next to the bed. Ranger acknowledged them with a nod. He squeezed her hand. "Babe? They're here." Stephanie began to stir. When she recognized Bobby and Lester, she grinned from ear to ear.

"Hey Beautiful," Lester greeted her. He was surprised to see how good she looked. He expected the worst.

"You look so much better, Steph. How are you feeling?" Bobby asked.

"Much better. Selma gave me Phenergan. For the first time in weeks, I didn't get sick this morning," she told them happily. Lester held up a small duffel bag.

"Ella sends her love. I think there are some cookies in there, too." Lester placed the bag on the end of the bed. Steph sat up to give him a hug. Stephanie rummaged through the bag. She was delighted to find her shampoo and conditioner as well as clean clothes. At the bottom, she found a baggie of chocolate chip cookies. She gave Ranger, who had been watching her, a guilty smile.

"I'm going to take a quick shower and get dressed. Then, we can go home," she announced. Remembering that Selma told her quick showers, Stephanie washed as fast as humanly possible. She toweled off the excess water and would let her hair dry naturally. Ella packed comfortable clothes to easily slip on. She knew Ranger was giving Lester and Bobby the run down on her condition…minus the whole bakery she had in the oven.

Her dayshift nurse came into review the discharge information. She looked somewhat frazzled as she took in the three hot men in the room. "Uh…is it okay to go over this in front of them?" Stephanie nodded. "Um…okay. As Dr Ortiz already told you, it's strict bed rest until your appointment with Dr James tomorrow. It's at 2:30. You can get up only to use the bathroom…." She trailed off, her eyes widened, and her face turned crimson. "Um…She also wrote no sex. _Keep your hands off her, Carlos_." The nurse paled as perspiration beaded on her forehead. Stephanie began to giggle while Bobby and Lester howled with laughter. Ranger remained stoic. "I guess you're Carlos." He nodded, and she continued. "You're discharge diagnosis is dehydration secondary to hyperemesis gravidarum related to multi-gestational pregnancy." Lester frowned. Bobby began to smile.

"Shit," Stephanie muttered.

"What is that?" Lester asked nervously. "That sounds really bad."

"It is," Stephanie grumbled.

"The excessive hormones from carrying twins are causing all the nausea and vomiting," the nurse explained. The cat was out of the bag. The scowl on Stephanie's face told her that wasn't the right thing to say. "I'm sorry, but _you_ said it was okay to go over this in front of them!"

"I thought you were going over the _instructions_ and _prescriptions_….not _tell _everyone that we're having a litter!" Stephanie groaned. The light bulb finally flashed on over Lester's head.

"Congratulations," Bobby told them. He shook Ranger's hand, and then gave Stephanie a hug.

"Twins?" A slow smile spread across Lester's face. "Wow."

"Here are your prescriptions. Dr Ortiz's office number is in on the sheet as well. I need you to sign this." She handed Stephanie the paper, and she quickly scribbled her name on the line. The nurse kept a copy and gave her the original. She wanted to get the hell out of there after spilling the beans. Another staff member was waiting in the hall with a wheelchair. Lester took Ranger and Stephanie's bags and left to pull the SUV up to the front.

"I know it's not my business, but…is everything okay?" Ranger looked to Stephanie to answer.

"Yeah, Bobby. We're all okay." Ranger started to help Stephanie get in the wheelchair. Bobby smacked his hands away and reached for Stephanie.

"_Doctor's orders_. Keep your hands off."

On the ride home, Stephanie told them what had happened at the Hilton. Bobby was still very suspicious. They had to make two stops for Stephanie. With all the IV fluid she had received, her bladder was in overdrive. And with every stop, Ranger insisted on buying her a bottle of water to drink. Lester pulled up to the gate and hesitated.

"Uh…do you want to go through the garage or the lobby?" He knew the brand new Mustang that was parked next to the Escape in the corner of the garage was an issue of contention from last night. Ranger, again, looked to Stephanie for the answer.

"It's okay to go through the garage, Lester. I…I'd like to see the car." Ranger had insisted that she lay across the back seat. Her head in his lap. He squeezed her hand. Lester nodded. He opened the gate and pulled in, parking in an open space towards the back. Ranger helped Stephanie out and walked her over to the car.

It was gorgeous. An amazing classic American automobile were the words that came to mind. It was white with twin black strips running down the center of the hood and trunk. _Twin_ stripes…how ironic? The convertible had a black rag-top. "I know Dickie bought you one before, Babe, but I also know that Mustangs are your favorite," Ranger whispered in her ear. She hugged him tight. It stood out among the sea of black vehicles.

"It's beautiful, Carlos." She hugged him again. "Thank you." She stretched up and kissed him. Her tongue parted his lips and demanded entry. He hungrily kissed her back, and she melted into his body. They were interrupted by someone loudly clearing his throat. Untangling, they turned to see Tank. Stephanie immediately felt a twinge of guilt. She treated him like shit last night. And, she threw away his phone. Tank either possessed the same ESP ability as Ranger, or the shame was all over her face.

"Come here, Bombshell," Tank said and pulled her into a huge bear hug.

"I'm so sorry, Tank." He shook his head.

"No, I'm sorry. Let's call it even and forget it." She grinned and kissed his cheek.

"Okay, Babe," Ranger began as he took her by the hand. "Time to get you to bed. Doctor's orders. We can take this upstairs." They crowded into the elevator.

Ella, Luis, Val, and Hector were in the apartment waiting for their arrival. Right after everyone got their hug, Ranger insisted she get right to bed. The Q and A session began. Ranger looked to Stephanie with raised eyebrows. He was leaving it up to her whether to make the announcement or not. "Well, I'm doing fine. I was really dehydrated. I feel a lot better after getting that medicine, and all that fluid. But, Selma thinks the reason I've been so sick is because I'm…" She shot her eyes over to Ranger. "Uh…_we're_ having twins."

"Oh my God!" Val screamed. She climbed in the bed to hug her sister. Ella hugged and kissed Ranger, then Stephanie. Ranger gave the celebration a few more minutes before breaking it up.

"Do you want anything special, Steph?" Bobby asked as he took the prescriptions. He was heading to the pharmacy to get them filled and pick up the Gatorade. She shook her head no.

"No thanks, Bobby." Ranger ushered everyone to the door. He wanted Stephanie to get her rest. He needed to shower and get downstairs to his office. There was a ton of paperwork that needed his attention. He emerged from the bathroom to find Steph, lying on her back, with a laptop on her stomach.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh…I wanted to check on something before I forgot." Ranger stomped over and grabbed the computer. "Hey!"

"No work means _no_ work…."

"But…"

"But _nothing_." She rolled her eyes. "Hector can look into it." She huffed and crossed her arms. "Do I have to hide the computer?"

"What if I want to _Google_ something?" He tried to fight the smile, the corners of his mouth twitched in betrayal.

"You can _Google_ when the doctor says you can Google." He shut down the laptop and put it back on his desk. She rolled over to watch him.

"You're sexy when you're being a jerk…you know that?" Shit, he got hard again. Not enough time to take another cold shower. He prayed it would go down by the time he hit 5. He leaned over and kissed her.

"You'll see how much of a _jerk_ I can be once the doctor clears you for sex, Babe," he joked. "I'll see you later. Call me if you need anything. I'll send Hector up to do that research for you." He almost got through the door when she called to him.

"Carlos?" He turned to look at her. She crooked her finger for him to come back. He strolled back over to her. She pulled him down on top of her, and gave him an aggressive kiss. He moaned in her mouth as his free hand automatically found her breast. He was standing at full attention once again, and began to grind his hardness into her hip. She pulled back. "Oh wait, we're not allowed to do this yet." He captured her lips once again before rolling off her.

"That was mean, Babe." He stood up, looked down ruefully at the enormous bulge in his pants, and sighed. She ran her hand up and down his length. He threw his head back and growled.

"I can take care of that for you," she purred and unzipped his pants.

Ranger felt somewhat guilty as he changed his clothes. On one hand, he needed that release more than he needed…_oxygen_. He'd practically been walking around with a semi for the past two days. But, on the other hand, he couldn't reciprocate. Stephanie's pleasure was more important than his own. God, he hoped she got the okay by the doctor tomorrow. He would make it up to her all night long.

Hector went over the files with Stephanie. "There's something familiar with Omni, but I can't remember what it is. It's driving me crazy. Not the agency, but the name." Hector nodded.

"I'll run another scan on it. Maybe there are some dummy corporations associated with it. I should have the latest cell records for Inga by tomorrow. Outgoing is easier to get. These are the incoming calls. We'll run the numbers that have called her cell." He gathered up the files and closed his laptop. "Can I get you anything?" She shook her head.

"No thanks. Ella was just here with lunch. I think I'm going to try to take a nap. I don't know if I should take the medicine or wait to see if I get sick again. So far, I feel pretty good."

"I'll come back later, Bonita." He rubbed Ivy's head. "Does she need to go out?"

"No, she came up with Ella. Hal walked her right before that." Hector left. Stephanie stretched out for a nap after a trip to the bathroom.

Bobby stopped in Ranger's office. "So…how do you want to handle tomorrow?" Ranger furrowed his brow.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, your appointment is at 2, and Steph's is 2:30." Ranger leaned back in his chair.

"Shit," he muttered. He heard Val shake the Swear Jar to get his attention. Bobby smirked but tossed fifty cents into the jar for him. He wanted to go with Stephanie to her appointment, but his appointment was a big one. The doctor was going to make a determination to see if he could lose the sling and start rehab. "See if you can either get me an earlier or later appointment…" Bobby shook his head.

"Already tried that. You both need to keep those appointments. I need to go with you to see about the rehab program. Lester can take Steph to hers." Ranger conceded. If he couldn't be there, he would rather have Bobby be with her. But, he wasn't left with a choice. He went back to his paperwork. This was another plus for not renewing his contract. Anytime he was out of town, even with Tank covering, there was always a mountain of paperwork. Having skipped lunch, the rumbling in his stomach reminded him how hungry he was. Grabbing a sandwich and a bottle of water, he returned to his office to get caught up. He noticed Hector in Stephanie's cube.

"Is Stephanie alright?"

"Yeah, she was going to take a nap when I left." Ranger stretched in his chair. Not a bad idea, he thought. It had been a long a tedious week _before_ all this shit went down.

The green BMW sat parked down the block from Rangeman. Just outside the exterior cameras' view. Black SUVs came and went all day. It was confirmed that a black SUV picked her up at the hospital, and they arrived at Haywood at 10:39. The man called in this information to Henried. At 3pm, a midnight blue Saturn took his place.

Stephanie was bored to tears after waking up from her nap. She figured her lack of visitors was Ranger's doing. Bed rest meant just that. It didn't mean isolation, too. Hopefully, he would ease up after her doctor's appointment. There was nothing on TV. Even the court shows that she loved were all repeats. She grabbed the laptop again.

Ranger finally decided to call it a day. At least he got everything done. Tomorrow looked to have the potential for a busy day, so that was one less thing he needed to worry about. He headed back up to 7. After entering the apartment, he tossed his keys in the dish, and bent down to pet Ivy who came out to greet him. He thought about that morning and smiled. His smile faltered when he saw Stephanie with the computer again. He wasn't sure if it was a combination of all the stress…the lack of sleep, Stephanie's trip to the hospital, their fight…the list went on. But, he snapped. She looked up and smiled.

"Hi..." He rushed over, ripped the computer off her lap, and threw it against the wall. Stephanie scooted back against the headboard in surprise. Her eyes wide and mouth open.

"Can't you _ever_ just follow orders?" he yelled at her, pointing a finger in her face. "Shit Stephanie! I can't turn my back for five fucking seconds without you not doing what you're told! You're not supposed to be working!" Her widened eyes brimmed with tears, and her lower lip quivered.

"I…I…" she stammered.

"I don't want to hear your excuses! You need to stop thinking about yourself, and think about them!" He pointed to her belly. Shit! He needed to calm down. Ranger turned and started to walk out of the bedroom.

"I…I was j-just playing Solitaire," she softly explained. "I'm s-sorry." He paused in the doorway and dropped his head. Fuck! Her sniffling turned to sobs. Jesus…what the hell came over him? He slowly turned to see her curled up in a ball. Ivy licked her face in an attempt to comfort her. How many times would she forgive him for his stupidity? He shuffled over to the bed. Her laptop lay on the floor in three pieces.

"Babe?" She didn't answer. He sat next to her, gently placing his hand on her hip. "I'm so sorry, Babe. I don't know what came over me. I saw the computer….and, just…_lost_ it."

"I w-wasn't working. I-I-I wouldn't do anything to h-hurt the babies."

"I know that. This wasn't about you." He started to rub her back, but she shrugged him off. He laid down next to her. "I'm sorry." He sighed. It was time to start sharing some of the things that had been on his mind. She needed to know that it wasn't about her. "There's been a lot of stuff on my mind since the accident. Some things, I know what they are. And others…I can't quite figure it out." He stared at her back.

"Is that w-why you can't sleep?" she asked him after a while.

"Part of the reason anyway." She rolled over to face him. She sniffed and wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Why couldn't you talk to me about any of this?" He tried to block out the hurt in the voice, but couldn't. It was like a knife to his heart.

"It's hard enough for me to talk about my feelings…to anyone. But, how could I talk to you about my problems when I can't even figure out what's wrong myself?" He rubbed a hand over his face. "Fuck me," he muttered. "I _hate_ feeling weak. I _hate_ not being in control. And most of all, I hate that I just took it all out on you." He felt her hand cover his. He brought it to his mouth and gently kissed her palm.

"I'm sorry you didn't think that you could to talk to me about this." She snuggled up to him. "You're not weak, Carlos. You're the strongest person I know. And, I don't mean physically. You're always there for me. I want to be there for you, too. I love you so much." He pulled her tight and kissed her temple.

"I love you too, Babe. But more than that, I _need_ you. I've never needed _anyone_ in my life like I need you. You make me feel whole. There are so many things I've done in my life that I'm not proud of. And, I never thought I would ever have a chance to have someone like you in my life. The greatest gift I've ever been given…was you." This time, her eyes filled with tears of joy. She knew he loved her, but she had no idea how intense his feelings for her were. It was overwhelming and comforting to know he really did feel the same way as she did. Half laughing and half crying, she hugged him tight.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Carlos. I need you, too." He turned to look in her eyes. Even bloodshot, they still were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen.

"I'm so sorry I blew up at you. You didn't deserve that. And, I'm sorry about the laptop. I'll get you another one tomorrow." She gave him a sheepish smile.

"Um…it wasn't my laptop, Carlos. It was yours." Shit.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

As soon as Ranger learned that Stephanie's doctor was in the same building as Omni, he had a team scout out the inside of the building. Henried had not been seen in that building since Tuesday. Cal and Binky reported that the office had been closed and cleared out. No forwarding information. The number for Omni was disconnected. Stephanie's idea to contact Special Agent Durrer was right on track. He felt comfortable with sending Lester inside with her, and Cal and Binky on the street.

Stephanie had recharged her phone the night before, and listened to all her messages that morning. She called Lula who screeched into the phone upon hearing the news of the twins. "Holy double trouble, Batgirl!" Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry to ruin your night with Tank. When are you 2 going out again?" Lula smacked her lips.

"Girl…you didn't ruin my night. When that big ol' love machine took me home…well…I just hadta see for myself what was under that tux. And lemme tell you…I could hardly get my mouth around all of it…."

"_STOP_! I don't want to hear anymore!" Stephanie disconnected before Lula went into more detail. She wouldn't be able to look at Tank without….shit. Enough! She next called her parents and gave them the news. Her father was ecstatic. He was really hoping for a grandson. Grandma Mazur had some comment about Ranger's super hero sperm in the background. At least now he had a better chance with two babies in there. She knew Ranger wanted a son even though he hadn't said anything. Stephanie didn't care either way, but it would be nice to have one of each. Again, as long as the twins were healthy, she would be happy. And last, but not least, she called Special Agent Durrer again. He said he was very busy but took down the information. He promised to check into it, and he would get back to her.

She thought back to last night. Ranger had his moments, but she had never seen him lose it like that before. They all talked about his legendary control, but was that what he used to be like? It really scared her. If he hadn't started to open up about his feelings, well….she didn't know what she would have done. What could she have done? Walk out? Never see him again? They both needed to learn how to work things out. Ranger was used to getting his way. Then again, so was she. She had been living on her own for a long time. She didn't have to answer to a soul anymore. They needed to learn to compromise, give in at times, understand, and forgive. She felt his pain and believed what he told her. She knew there was more to it, and he was holding back. But, it was a start. She also had to realize that they had only known each other a little over six months. It felt like a life time. And, everything seemed to happen so fast. Ranger practically had a death grip on her last night. As if he was almost afraid she was going to sneak away in the middle of the night. Saying that Ranger was a complex person was a huge understatement. She giggled when she thought of the condition he left the apartment in again. It was like the _off_ switch was broken, and it didn't want to stay down. If the doctor didn't give her the okay for sex, she didn't know what Ranger was going to do!

Hector had received the phone records and was busy with those. Val and Ella had been in and out all morning. Ranger came up to have lunch with her. She hoped he would get good news from the doctor as well. Being able to focus on rehab would be a huge step forward for him. Finally, it was time to leave for the doctor's office. Lester drove, with Stephanie shotgun, and Cal and Binky in the backseat. She raised her eyebrows at Lester. He shrugged.

"When Ranger realized where your doctor was, he wasn't taking any chances," he explained. She just rolled her eyes and shook her head. She needed to learn to pick her battles. This was one that she had to concede. Besides, Henried made her skin crawl.

A gray sedan followed a few cars behind. Lester noticed it about a block away from the Haywood office. He didn't want to bring it to Stephanie's attention just yet. When he found the usual front row parking space outside the main doors, the car kept going, so he dismissed it. Lester came around and helped Stephanie out of the car. Taking her by the hand, they walked inside.

The office was packed. Lester felt uncomfortable with all the pregnant women in the room. He found a couple of empty seats by the window. Strewn about the corner table were magazines about pregnancy and parenting. Two subjects he had hoped to delay for a long time. In the corner sat a colorful model of the female reproductive organs. Yikes! He didn't care much for the uterus and the ovaries, but he did steal a peek at the vagina. "This can't be right," he muttered as he picked it up and examined the vagina more closely. This must be a child's size, he thought. It's too small for an adult's. He was way bigger than that opening. There was _no way_ he'd fit in that thing. The lady sitting across from him cleared her throat. Looking up, he saw her and a few other patients scowling at him. Smiling sheepishly, he put the model down and hung his head. _Shit_.

Stephanie approached the desk to sign in. A woman, a bit older than Stephanie, opened the window. She looked a little frazzled. "Uh…Stephanie Plum. I have a 2:30 appointment." She checked down her list.

"Oh…right. This was made yesterday as a work in," she replied. The woman frowned. "Why does your name sound familiar?" Stephanie shrugged.

"I've been here before?" The woman shook her head.

"Do you go by Stephie?" She smirked.

"No."

"Oh…sorry. There's a Stephie that my son talks about all the time. He met her at the diner with my father."

"Is your son Tommy?" The woman smiled and nodded.

"Yes…you've made quite an impression on him. You work for Batman…right?" Stephanie laughed.

"Something like that."

"I'm Beth, Tommy's mother. It's nice to finally meet you." She held out her hand, and Stephanie shook it.

"Same here. Tommy is a very sweet boy."

"Thank you. I'll have to tell him I saw you today. He'll be so excited. Who is Lester? He talks about him a lot, too." Stephanie pointed to him in the corner. He was playing with the model again. One ovary popped off and landed in the scowling woman's lap. Stephanie couldn't help but giggle.

"_Lester!_" Startled, Lester jumped up and jerked the model against his chest, causing the other ovary to dislodge. "This is Tommy's mother, Beth," Stephanie told him. Lester waved.

"Um…sorry about the..um…woman's _parts_ thing," he told her. He pointed to the vagina. "Is this thing…uh…to scale?" Beth nodded. "Damn!" He re-examined the vagina again. The scowling woman huffed and moved to a seat across the room.

"Sorry about him," Stephanie giggled. "He's harmless." Beth grinned.

"Sorry about the car. My father told me what Tommy did," she apologized. "He loves your car, too. Well, he loves all cars." She noticed that Stephanie looked confused. "Didn't you know?" She shook her head no. "Tommy kept driving your car back to the office because he didn't want it crushed." Stephanie bit her lower lip. Oh my God! She wished she could have seen the look on their faces! "He hid the car again on my father. I'm so sorry about all this." Stephanie raised her eyebrows. This could get interesting.

"So the car _wasn't_ crushed?" Beth pursed her lips and shook her head.

"No…sorry. Tommy won't admit to hiding the car. I'll bet he'd tell you where it is." Stephanie smiled. Oh yeah, she thought, this will definitely get interesting.

"Tell you what, Beth, have Tommy call me later. I don't want to get into it now, but let's just say we had _major issues_ with this car. My fiancé decided to take it upon himself to dispose of the car. He did buy me a new car to make up for it, but I think he needs to learn a lesson. I know the car is not safe, and was in worse shape than I thought it was. And, Tommy can have it when I'm done if that's okay with you." Beth smiled.

"He loves that car. I think if he kept it at the junk yard, we'd be okay with that."

"Good. We'll talk about it later." Smiling, Stephanie sat next to Lester to wait for her turn.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh…nothing. She was just telling me how Tommy talks about us all the time. Small world, right?" She spied the uterus and fallopian tube model minus its ovaries. "Is _that_ what you want for your birthday?" Now, it was his turn to grin.

"Only if it's got the rest of the parts attached to it." She rolled her eyes.

Ranger held his breath while the doctor completed his exam and reviewed the new x-rays. "You are a lucky man, Mr. Manoso. This is healing well. I still don't know if you will ever get 100% of your total range of motion back, but I would expect it to be pretty damn close." Ranger exhaled. Thank God for that. "I'm sure you'll be glad to get rid of the sling. Take it easy over the weekend…don't over do it. We'll get you started on physical therapy next week. I understand this gentleman is a physical therapist, and that you have a weight room in your building?" Ranger and Bobby nodded. "I'll write the orders on what to start with and how fast to progress. Then, we'll see you back in a month for follow up." Ranger shook his hand. While Bobby reviewed the PT orders with the head therapist, Ranger sent Stephanie a text giving her the good news.

Stephanie was in the exam room waiting for Dr James when she got the text. She could hardly sit still. She knew how much of a boost this would give him. He would feel like he was moving back to some semblance of normalcy. Then, maybe they could put all this crap behind them. She sent him a text back to let him know the jury was still out on her end. She didn't mention meeting Beth. She had plans to get even about the car. She giggled as she thought about the car just showing back up…over and over again.

Dr James reviewed the medical records that Selma had faxed to her. "Congratulations on the twins, Miss Plum. Have you had any more spotting or cramping?"

"Well, I never had spotting, but the cramping is just about gone. My stomach muscles are a little achy from throwing up so hard. What caused that? I had never thrown up like that before." Dr James shrugged.

"It can be a vicious cycle. You were very dehydrated. That in itself can cause vomiting and muscle cramping. Have you needed to take any more Phenergan?" Stephanie shook her head no.

"I feel pretty good actually. Can I come off the bed rest now?"

"Strict bed rest yes. But, I still want you on bed rest. Since you said your muscles are still sore, I'd like you to take it easy for another 2 days." Stephanie closed her eyes and groaned. Dr James chuckled. "I know. It's not as fun as people might think it is. But, we can't take any chances since you are a high risk pregnancy now."

"High risk? What's wrong with me?" Stephanie felt a slow panic coming on.

"All multi-gestational pregnancies are considered high risk, Miss Plum. And, we really have to monitor you with the hyperemesis gravidarum. Morning sickness is very common. But, to continue to stay in a dehydrated state, with electrolyte imbalances, could cause problems with your pregnancy. It's just better to be safe than sorry," she explained. Stephanie sighed.

"I guess that still means no sex, right?" Dr James smiled and nodded.

"If you don't feel any better on Monday, I want you to come back. Otherwise, you can resume all your normal activities then. Including sex. Any other questions?" Stephanie told her no. Damn. She was really looking forward to Ranger showing her how much of a jerk he could be tonight. She knew he would be equally disappointed. Well, maybe even more so. "Okay, unless there are any problems, just keep your next follow up appointment." Stephanie got dressed and met Lester in the waiting room.

"Everything okay?" She nodded.

"She wants me to still be on bed rest, but not _strict_ bed rest. I can get up and move around a bit." He put his arm around her. "The good news is that Carlos can start rehab next week. The doctor was very pleased with how well his shoulder is healing." Lester laughed.

"Let me guess…he's cleared to go, but you aren't?" She closed her eyes and blushed. "Come on, Beautiful. I'll buy you an ice cream."

"What about Binky and Cal?" He pushed the button for the elevator.

"They can get their own."

Ranger was back at his desk when he got her text. "Damn it," he muttered. Upon hearing the jingling of change, he looked up and met Val's expectant stare. Tank would have to get in line. Now, he wanted to kick his _own_ ass. He got up, threw a twenty in the jar, and closed the door behind him.

The driver of the gray sedan reported the SUV's every move until it returned to the Haywood office. "Excellent," Henried said to himself. He immediately dialed another number. "Freda…I understand Stephanie Plum is a patient of yours. How convenient….Really? When are they due?...You could take them earlier if needed, correct?...Good. I think we'll make a lot of money on this one. After we unload the babies, we can sell her, too….Yes…I am aware of what the sperm donor does, and I can assure you that we have greater resources at our disposal. His little rinky-dink operation is no threat to us….No, we'll be grabbing her soon. I've had to move the operation ahead of schedule. It will be a pain in the ass to have to keep her around that long, but I'll have the team start breaking her down right away….I'll make sure there's no penetration this time. I don't want to jeopardize that bankroll she's growing in there….Just get me a copy of her file as soon as you can, and I'll take care of the rest." Three for the price of one. This was going to be more profitable that he imagined. He opened the new Manhattan office that morning. He still had the satellite office in Connecticut available. It would take a few days for all the rescheduled appointments to be finalized, and for business to pick back up again. He made another call. "Yeah, it's me. We need to meet tonight about picking up another one….Shit. What happened?...Okay, just keep her locked up till I get there." Damn it. Inga wandered into the mansion. She demanded to leave when she found out about the other girls. He leaned back in his chair and sighed. He may have to use Inga as bait to get the Plum woman. Actually, that wasn't such a bad idea.

Stephanie found Ranger at his desk. He gave her a half-hearted smile. "You look weird without that sling," she joked. Stephanie climbed into his lap. He smirked.

"Feels weird…but good. So what did the doctor say?"

"She said things look good. I wish I had kept my mouth shut. I told her my stomach was still sore from throwing up so hard. She said I have to still be on bed rest, but not _strict_ bed rest. I can get up and move around every once in a while." She dropped her head on his shoulder. "But, no sex till Monday. And, if I have any problems to come back and see her. If not, keep the appointment I have in a couple weeks." He hugged her with both arms.

"As much as I want to take you right here on top of my desk, it's better to be safe than sorry. That…and you have to rest up, Babe. You're going to need all your energy for Monday. You're going to make me a _very_ happy camper." He gave her his wolfish grin. He slid his hand down to her belly. For the first time, without any pressure, he felt the firm little softball. He thought back to the ultrasound. Most of his career had been about ending life. This was all new to him. Maybe it was a new phase in his life like his father said. This phase would be about starting and preserving life. Her hand covered his. "You're mine. All three of you are mine. I'll always take care of all of you."

"We'll take care of each other, Carlos. We're a team."

"Since we're a team, do you want to be on speaker phone to call Mama?" Her cell phone rang. It was Beth.

"You go ahead. I gotta take this call." She hopped off his lap, and left the office.

"Tommy told me where the car is. What would you like to do?" Stephanie thought for a moment.

"Can you bring it to me?" Beth told her yes, and Stephanie gave her the address. "Park it down the block. There are security cameras outside. Call me when you get there, and I'll meet you."

Ranger finally got his mother off the phone, and then he called Raoul. He closed his door for privacy and really opened up to his brother. He even went into more detail than he did wit his father. "So…what's got you opening up so much? You sound like a different Carlos."

"Because…it's hurting Stephanie. I snapped last night, Rao. I threw her computer across the room and screamed at her. Jesus! I never lose control like that. It was like I couldn't stop myself. And, she doesn't need to be worrying about my problems right now," Ranger admitted.

"Sounds like both of you are in uncharted territory. It can be unnerving being out of your comfort zone. Especially you, little brother." Raoul briefly paused before he continued. "Carlos…it sounds like you might have post traumatic stress disorder. That crash…"

"I'm fine!" Ranger cut him off. "I'm just a little overwhelmed with everything that's been going on. That's all. I'm not defective. I've been through more combat and survived more covert operations than you'll ever know!"

"_Carlos_…calm down. It's got nothing to do with how strong you are. It doesn't make you less of a man to be human. That crash could have been the final straw. Maybe…because for the first time, you actually _had_ something to lose." Raoul's words hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Are you saying that my relationship with Stephanie made me weak?"

"No! See Carlos, you aren't even _thinking_ clearly. When you were in the service full time, and all other contract missions you accepted, who did you come home to? And, I don't mean all the bimbos with double Ds that you banged either. You are the best in this business, Carlos. But, you still are only human. You're not a machine." Yeah, I used to be a machine, Ranger thought, now what am I? He couldn't be mentally defective. No way. That only happened to the weak. He was just recuperating from his injuries. That's all it was. Yeah, he had concerns about his future and losing his identity. But, that was all. And, he already talked about it with his father. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah. I'm fine Raoul. Things have been a little rough lately. But, I'm starting rehab next week. Once I get back to a normal routine, everything will be alright. You'll see. This is why I don't tell people what's going on. Everyone make these stupid judgments and jumps to these ridiculous conclusions about what's happening. Let's just drop it. I'm fine. And, Selma gave Steph some medicine to help with the morning sickness. We're both doing better." If he kept repeating this, maybe he could get himself to believe it.

"Just promise me if you are still having problems, you will get help." Ranger groaned.

"I'll think about it, but it won't be necessary. Look, I gotta go. I'll talk to you soon."

"Congratulations on the twins. And Carlos…call me if you want to talk," Raoul insisted. Ranger disconnected. He tossed his phone on his desk and dropped his face into his hands. Usually when Ranger talked to his brother, it helped to get him focused again. This conversation just pissed him off more. He was _not_ mentally defective. Raoul didn't know what he was talking about. He didn't have PTSD. He was just going through a rough patch. That was all. Everyone needed to back the fuck off.

Stephanie knew there was no way she could sneak out of the building. She took Ivy with her so it looked like they were going for a walk. Beth and Tommy were down the block. "Hi, Stephie! Look…I saved your car for you." She gave him a hug.

"Thanks, Tommy. That was so nice of you." She looked at the car. Maybe seeing that beautiful, brand new Mustang parked in the garage had something to do with it. But, the car looked worse if that was even possible. It sure wouldn't have that cool, new-car smell mixed with leather. The #2 mobile had that weird, dead squirrel smell that scared the living shit out of German Shepherds, ex-ho turned Bounty Hunters, and big, tough ex-Army Rangers. "I'm just going to borrow it for a few days. Then, it's all yours." Tommy's eyes lit up.

"For real? Is that true, Mom?" Beth nodded.

"But, you have to keep it at Grandpa's junk yard…okay?" Tommy first hugged his mother, and then hugged Stephanie.

"Oh thank you! This is a really cool car!" Stephanie took the keys.

"We have to get going. Grandpa will be home for dinner soon." Stephanie mouthed…_Thank You_. She got behind the wheel and tugged Ivy into the car. Ivy began to whine. She hated this car as much as Ranger did. She couldn't wait to see the look on Ranger's face when he saw that the car was still alive. The #2 mobile started with its usual backfire and smoke screen. She pulled up to the gate and fobbed her way into the garage.

"Oh Shit," Hal muttered.

"Haaalll!" Val whined. "That's fifty cents." Val brought the jar over to the monitors. She saw the abomination he was staring at. "_Oh shit_!"

They watched as the #2 Mobile chugged its way into the garage. The car continued to smoke as she tried to park the car next to Ranger's Porsche. She couldn't see the angle too well and backed into the right rear panel. The Porsche's alarm sounded. Hal and Val exchanged worried looks. Ranger came out of his office and didn't look too happy to begin with. "Um….Ranger?" He stopped and glared at Hal. "Uh…" Beads of perspiration ran off Hal's forehead.

"What!?!"

"Steph just pulled in with the #2 Mobile. She…uh…sort of hit your car." Head popped up over all the cubicles, and Tank came out of his office.

"_Fuck_!" Ranger headed for the stairs with Tank right behind. Val reached into her pocket and pulled out a dollar.

"This one's on me, Hal. And, Carlos has a credit."

Stephanie knew she hit something. It wasn't till the smoke cleared, and she saw Ranger standing by the Porsche with his arms crossed, that she realized what it was that she hit. _Oh my God_, she thought, I hit his car. _The Porsche_! Shit! Shit! Shit! This was supposed to be a joke! He was going to be so pissed! He looked like he wanted to kill someone. That someone was probably her! Stephanie opened the door, and Ivy darted out. She saw the huge dent in the back rear panel of his beautiful Porsche. Gripped with fear and shock, she couldn't speak. Nothing would come out. She stood there with her mouth open, looking back and forth between the damage and Ranger's angry face.

Ranger was speechless himself. He didn't know if it was the reappearance of that piece of shit. Or, that she was driving that piece of shit and crashed it into his prized Porsche. Or, the fact that she was supposed to be on bed rest and wasn't following the doctor's orders…again. He refused to blow up at her like he did last night. He forced himself to remain calm. But, he was furious and wanted to strangle her. The conversation with Raoul put in him a foul mood. She stood there like a statue. Her eyes were wide, jaw practically on the floor, panic on her face. "Explain." Tank and a small crowd gathered behind him. When she still didn't move or speak, Ranger slowly walked over to her. "Babe?"

Nothing was computing. _I hit his Porsche, _she screamed over and over in her head. If he was mad about the computer last night, what's going to happen now? He was saying something to her…but she was still too shocked to register anything. All she could do was point to the dent that was like the size of the Grand Canyon. She felt his arms surround her and pull her in tight. His warmth and the smell of Bulgari enveloped her.

"It's okay, Babe," he whispered to her softly. Actually, it wasn't okay. Oh, he was angry alright, but it wasn't the time to yell at her. He didn't want to make that mistake again. He wanted to get her upstairs and back in bed, so he could go somewhere and blow off steam. And, he needed to hurry because he was losing his patience fast. Her body trembled. He pulled back and held her face in his hands. The color of her face caused him concern, she looked slightly green. "Are you alright?" She shook her head no and threw up on his chest.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Stephanie laid in bed and replayed the scene over and over in her mind. She knew Ranger was upset with her. He dragged her upstairs, demanded that she lay down, took a shower, changed, and left. He didn't even cast a glance backwards as he stormed out the door. At least this time, he didn't scream at her. He didn't say a word to her, or let her know where he was going. And, she didn't know which was worse. Leave it to her to screw this up! She just wanted to play a joke on him. It was only fair after he took the car. Her stomach was in knots, and the pregnancy had nothing to do with it. Ranger's stare reminded her of when he found out she was pregnant from Jeanne Ellen. It was ice cold. This was all her fault.

After about an hour of target practice, Tank decided it was time to talk. He offered Ranger the opportunity of listening to his problems a number of times, but he continually declined. The problem was coming to a head. Tank had his suspicions about Ranger having PTSD for a while. He kept it to himself. He had no idea that Raoul called him on it earlier that day. Because of the situation with Stephanie and Jeanne Ellen, Ranger rushed to get back home. He blew off the counseling session and the rest of the debriefing after the crash. They had been through some serious shit together. Ranger never lost his whole team before. And, there was the traumatic brain injury on top of everything. Normal coping skills and everyday brain functioning could be affected while the brain continued to heal. He didn't want to corner Ranger, or make it seem that they were ganging up on him. He had only Bobby and Lester come with him for his little intervention.

Ranger barely acknowledged their presence. "What?" He had just emptied the clip and prepared to reload.

"You know what," Tank told him. "I know I asked you if you wanted to talk, I would listen. Now…I'm not asking anymore. This has gone on long enough." Ranger shot him a nasty look.

"It's not your business. I'm fine. Right now, I'm pissed off. I have a fucking right to be pissed off." Tank grabbed the gun, clicked on the safety, and tossed it to Lester.

"You would never lose your cool over something this stupid. You need help. So, either you start talking, or we'll _make_ you get some help," Tank warned. They entered into a staring match. Ranger lowered his eyes first. He slowly sauntered to the bench and eased himself down. Tank was right. Raoul was right. Stephanie was right. He couldn't go on this way. He was starting to crack. And, if he didn't do something about it, he might lose Stephanie over it. Or, get somebody killed. Time to be a man, he scolded himself.

"I can't sleep," he began. "I try, but I feel like I can't sit still. This happens almost every night. And, I'm tired." He looked to Bobby. Bobby nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"Any nightmares or flashbacks?" Ranger shrugged.

"No flashbacks, but I've had a few nightmares. I don't really remember the crash. It's more like bits and pieces of it."

"What else has been on your mind?" Tank prodded.

"I guess…everything. Stephanie. That shit with Jeanne Ellen. I brought her into the company. It was my entire fault. I didn't see it coming, but I _should_ have." The guilt he felt over that whole situation was overwhelming and crushing him.

Stephanie called down to the Control Room to find out where Ranger was. "He's down at the range," Hal told her. She wanted to apologize. She needed to explain what happened. There was no excuse for hitting his car. She would pay for it out of her own money. She couldn't stand Ranger being angry with her. Stephanie slipped on her shoes and headed to the range.

"What _was_ that thing with Jeanne Ellen?" Bobby asked.

"You know we sort of had a…_thing_," Ranger explained. "She was more like a fuck buddy, I guess. I thought it was pretty clear cut that it was just sex. She was someone that I could always count on to have my back. I watched her back. You know how it was. Things got pretty intense at times. It was a good release."

"She wasn't always like that?" Lester asked. Ranger shook his head.

"No…well not to me anyway. That's why I hired her. She's got great skills. She approached me while I was at Bragg. She'd heard through the grapevine that I wasn't going to re-up. She said she had retired and was looking for a job. That's _all_ it was. I told her upfront about Stephanie. I thought she understood. I didn't know about her past. Or, what she did to the others."

"She really came after Steph," Bobby reminisced. "She was a sneaky bitch. That's for damn sure." Lester looked sheepish. He fell for her bullshit, too.

"Then, she hits me with being pregnant with my child." All heads snapped towards him.

"Holy Shit," Lester muttered.

"Was she…" Bobby began. Ranger shook his head.

"No…thank God. All I hear is that she's pregnant with my child. I can't tell you how relieved I was when I found out she miscarried. Fuck! What a load off my mind. I was thinking…great job, Manoso….you knocked up another one. Now, you're stuck with another monthly check. Another _fucking_ obligation. I just keep fucking up my life. Thank Christ, I was off the hook. It was nothing but a bunch of bullshit. I mean, we hadn't been together in a while. I didn't even know if it was mine." None of them saw Stephanie pull away from the door.

Stephanie held it together till she got to the apartment. She collapsed to the floor and sobbed. He _was_ only marrying her because he felt obligated! Her biggest fear had come true. Everything he told her was a big fat lie! Her stomach rolled, and she scrambled to the bathroom.

Ranger leaned back against the wall. "She told me it was my fault. She only took that assignment because I was supposed to be her back up. I took that hit in the shoulder and had to back out at the last second. She said the rookie they sent in my place fucked up." He dropped his face into his hands. "I know what she did was wrong. And, if she caused Stephanie to lose the baby…well babies…I would have killed her myself. But damn. She lost that baby because she was raped and beaten." Lester frowned. "No one deserves that."

"When did this happen? I though she couldn't get pregnant?" This time, Ranger frowned.

"What are you talking about?" Lester shoved his hands in his pockets and shifted nervously.

"Well…when we were looking around her apartment, Steph found some letters. It was dated a few years ago from a doctor about a second opinion. I don't remember it word for word, but it was something like unable to have kids because of some trauma she had as a teenager. So, if this happened recently, she couldn't have been pregnant….right? And, we figured that was another reason she was after Steph."

"She lied all the time. Look what happened to all the others that she worked with. And, didn't she cause that other agent's wife to miscarry? Well, they couldn't prove it, but it was kind of obvious. A lot of people mysteriously wound up dead around her, Ranger," Bobby added. Fuck! He believed her bullshit again. Even from the grave, she had still fucked with his mind. It was like another weight had been lifted. The guilt was probably what bothered him the most. He was supposed to have been there. If he was, she never would have been tortured. He was blaming himself that she was raped, and his child died because he wasn't there. Medical reports and physical evidence proved that something did happened. But, she could have lied about the real story behind it all, too.

"You can't carry the weight of the world around on your shoulders, Carlos," Tank told him after breaking the awkward silence. "You can't blame yourself for the choices made by others. She knew what she was getting into when she signed up. She wasn't wrapped too tight either. And, they _knew_ and did nothing about it. Now, you need to focus on healing your body…and your mind. If you don't, you are no good to anyone. That includes Bombshell and the grenades…" Lester and Bobby snickered. Ranger raised an eyebrow. "If those kids inherit their daddy's smarts and their momma's knack for getting into trouble, it's going to be explosive." Ranger couldn't help but smile at the thought. They continued to talk about Ranger's upcoming discharge. They were all officially out. Ranger was the last one on inactive duty.

Stephanie finally collected herself. She decided that she would go to a hotel that night. She couldn't stay there. Not now. Somehow, she knew Ranger loved her…in his own way. But, she refused to be his burden. She already got married for all the wrong reasons. Wasn't going down that road again. She left Ella a message to cancel dinner. The sparkle of the diamond caught her eye. It was the most amazing ring she had ever seen. Why did he even bother to waste so much money on it? With her heart breaking, she slipped it off her finger and gently returned it to the black, velvet box. She blindly threw things into an overnight bag. There was so much to think about, but not tonight. She just wanted to be alone. Ha! Alone. But, she wasn't alone...was she? She was dragging the twins down with her. She would do whatever she could to provide for them. Even if that meant going back home to her parents. The ultimate in humiliation! She would have to endure the endless barrage of what a failure she was from her mother. But, her mom would still help her with the babies, so she would just have to suck it up. Stephanie was getting ready to leave when Ranger returned.

He looked down at the suitcase. "Where are you going?" He saw the ring box on the credenza, and its absence from her finger. "Babe?"

"This isn't going to work, Carlos, it's over," she finally said. He took a step forward, but she put up a hand that stopped him in his tracks.

"No, Babe. I'm sorry I lost my temper. You know…." She cut him off.

"Look, you don't have to _pretend_ anymore. I'm not a charity case. I don't want you to marry me out of some sort of moral obligation…"

"I'm not! I _love_ you, Stephanie. Don't listen to what Rena said. I _want_ you to be my wife because I _love_ you."

"No…no you don't, Carlos! I _heard_ you. Well, I'm not a fucking _obligation_, and I certainly don't want your monthly check!" Ranger was confused. Where the hell was this coming from?

"I love you, Stephanie…." His phone rang. "Talk!" There was a major alarm at the Morris & Son's warehouse. "Shit. I'll be down in 5." He snapped his phone shut. "I have to go, Babe. Please don't leave until I get back. I don't know where you got that idea from…."

"I got it from _you_! I heard what you said, Carlos. You were _relieved_ when you thought I miscarried. So sorry to disappoint you!" It slowly began to dawn on him that she had overheard only part of their conversation.

"Oh my God, Stephanie! No…that's _not_ what I was talking about." His cell rang again. "I wasn't talking about you…" She raised her eyebrows.

"Oh…so you got someone _else_ pregnant, too?" He shook his head.

"No…it was Jeanne Ellen." Stephanie began to cry. He tried to hold her, but she pushed him away.

"So, you _did_ sleep with her!"

"NO! She _lied_ about being pregnant." Tank burst through the door.

"Come on, man. Shots were fired. We gotta go." He stopped in his tracks when he picked upon the tension in the air. Then, he saw her suitcase.

"Go, Carlos. You have business to take care of," she spat at him.

"Babe, promise me you'll be here when I get back. We have to talk about this. _Don't_ leave….please?" She wouldn't look up at him. He could force her to stay in the building if he wanted. But, that wouldn't improve the situation. "Jeanne Ellen lied about the whole thing. She told me she was pregnant last year and lost it. That's why I was relieved. Please believe me!"

"And, you expect me to believe you were talking about her? She couldn't _have _children! You must really think I'm stupid!"

"She _lied_ to me about it. I didn't know she couldn't have kids!" he insisted.

She realized that he wouldn't leave until she promised to stay. "Okay, I'll wait. But, that doesn't mean that I'm going to stay after that." He nodded and tried to kiss her. She turned her face, so he only got a mouthful of blonde curls.

"It's not over. I love you, Babe." He turned to leave with Tank, taking one last second to glance back at her. Of all fucking times to get an alarm!

If it wasn't for the fact that Jeanne Ellen was involved, she would have left the second they pulled out of the garage. Jeanne Ellen seemed to be like this evil spirit that wouldn't stay gone. Stephanie didn't know what to believe anymore. Emotionally and physically drained, she decided to stretch out on the couch until Ranger got back.

Stephanie awoke with a start to a darkened apartment. Her cell was ringing. She was sure it was Ranger checking to make sure she was still there. "Hello?"

"Is this Stephanie?" It was a very upset Inga.

"Inga…are you alright?" She sniffled.

"No, I need your help. Loethar lied to me. He wants to sell my baby. C-can you come and get me?" Stephanie jumped up.

"Where are you? I'll be right there." Inga gave her the address.

"I'm hiding at my friend's house. They're away this weekend. I don't think h-he can find me here."

"Don't worry. I'll be right there." She disconnected and grabbed her bag. She's pregnant, she told herself, maybe that's why she ran away from home. As she drove the Escape through the gate, she decided to call the Control Room. "I'll be right back." This way if Ranger got back before she did, he would expect her back.

Inga had given her an address that was just outside the city limits. It was a quiet middle class neighborhood. The house was dark except for glow of an over the sink light in the kitchen. Stephanie went around to the back door. She knocked, but there was no answer. The door was unlocked. She poked her head in and called for her. Still no answer. Her spidey senses were starting to tingle. _Get out_! The last thing she remembered was turning to leave….then blackness.

The break in was a gang-related drug deal. It was a mess, shots were fired by Rangeman personnel, and Ranger had to wait for the TPD to finish the investigation before he could leave. He called Stephanie twice, but he only got her voicemail. He didn't think this week could get anymore fucked up than it was. He got a call from Junior next. "Um…I just wanted to let you know that Stephanie left in the Escape at 9:02. She said she was coming right back. I tried to call her but only get her voice mail." Ranger disconnected and tried her again. He felt bile in the back of his throat and swallowed hard. She left him. She didn't want to hear what he had to say. How the fuck was he going to fix this? He called Junior back. "Where is she?" He scribbled the address. As soon as they finished this mess, he decided to go straight there.

Tank and Ranger headed to the location of the Escape. "Who lives on this street that she knows?" Tank wondered. Ranger shrugged. The little SUV sat between two residences. And, for all they knew, Stephanie could have just parked the Escape there and had someone pick her up. Tank called the Control Room to run the names on that street. None of them sounded familiar. "Do we start knocking on doors?" That wouldn't have been Ranger's first choice, but what other options did they have?

Stephanie wasn't there. No one had seen anything. No one heard anything. There were a few houses where either no one answered, or no one was home. Ranger stared at the Escape. He looked inside and saw her bag on the passenger seat. Something was wrong. Maybe he just didn't want to believe that she left him. Both of them had broken down, physically and emotionally, this past week. She told him she would wait till he got back. No, she was in trouble. "Get a team here now." He pulled out a pair of rubber gloves from the SUV, and opened the door. He looked through her bag. Wallet, phone, keys….keys? Was the truck dumped there? "Her bag is here, Tank. I don't like this. The keys are inside."

Ranger and Tank returned to Haywood after deciding to leave the Escape there. Ranger wanted to check into a few things himself before calling the police. He almost hoped that her suitcase would be gone. That would mean she intentionally left, and she was safe. The suitcase was still there. Now, he had mixed emotions about that. For a brief second, he felt somewhat relieved that she didn't leave him, but the other possibility was worse. Something happened to her. He called Tank. "Get everyone in the conference room in 5 minutes."

His core team was already seated around the conference table. He tossed her phone to Hector. "See if she made any calls, and check to see if anyone called her." Hector jumped up and headed for his office.

"On it."

"I want a report of everything that happened tonight. What else did she tell you?" Junior sat up straight.

"Just what I told you. That she was coming right back. Uh…she did look a little upset on the monitors." The stabbing sensation to his heart returned. Yeah, she was upset because she thinks she's an obligation to me, he thought. "What else?"

"That was it. She drove to that location, and that was it." Hector ran back into the room.

"She got a call from a private number at 20:57. I need to hack into the system to get the digits," Hector announced.

"Who did she go to meet?" Tank wondered aloud. "It had to be someone that she knows…right? She wouldn't meet Henried alone. I know she can be reckless at times, but not like that."

"What else have we found out about him?"

"Nothing much," Ram answered. He turned to Tank.

"Call Durrer. We may need help on this." Tank went to his office to dig out his card. Hector came back in.

"That number was a pre-paid cell. I tried Inga's number but it was disconnected today," Hector told them.

"What should we do?" Bobby asked. For the first time in his entire career, Ranger didn't know what to do. She just vanished. He knew Henried had her…he _felt_ it in his bones. And, it was his fault. If he manned up and got the help he needed from the start, this wouldn't have happened. Get a grip, Manoso, he scolded, she needs you now so stop feeling sorry for yourself! He lowered himself into the chair at the head of the table.

"We pull every file that Stephanie looked at. She called him a rat. Said that he hid in the shadows. He moved his business, but we will find him. There has to be a trail somewhere. Stephanie may not have finished putting it all together, but I'll bet the answer is in her research. She'll show us how to find her."

"I'll get all her files," Hector told them. He returned with several folders and her laptop. "We need to start with Omni. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about that name that was familiar." Hector went through the files, and with Ranger, they divided it up into teams. After getting his team started, Ranger called Morelli.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Here's a little gift for you. I volunteer at the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Duke every other weekend. Since I'll be busy tomorrow morning and might not get to post till later tomorrow, I decided to go ahead and post this chapter tonight. And because of the all the wonderful reviews with your awesome feedback, I'm going to post another chapter later tomorrow anyway! Thanks again to all those reading and hope you continue to enjoy this story.**

**Chapter 25**

Morelli assured Ranger that he would call the station, and they would be there right away. Ironically, the dead pregnant girl was one of his cases. This could be a break for him as well, even though Stephanie would be his priority. Once again, Stephanie found herself in the middle of all this shit. It was déjà vu. That sickening feeling when they discovered she had been taken by that crazed serial killer returned in spades. The Chief sent investigators to the Escape to check out the scene. Morelli sensed there was a missing piece to the puzzle that Ranger had left out. Ranger needed to come clean with him to maximize their investigation.

Tank informed Ranger that Durrer was on his way. "Call Rasmussen. Let him know what happened. We're going to have to tell the police about his missing daughter." Ranger sank into his chair and dropped his face into his hands. He still felt Tank's presence.

"We'll find her," he told him softly. Ranger just nodded.

"It's bad enough that she's missing, Tank," Ranger began. "But, she's out there somewhere thinking that I don't want her and the twins. She thinks I feel trapped. It's fucking _killing_ me." He dropped his gaze and stared at his feet. The buzz of the intercom awoke him from his pity party. Morelli and Chief Juniak had arrived. "Send them up."

Hector shared all the information they had with Morelli and the Chief. Agent Durrer arrived shortly after. "I'm checking a couple of leads," Durrer announced. "About a year and a half ago, the Philly office had gotten wind of a suspected white slavery ring. They were recruiting young women through a phony modeling agency. Before they could even get close, it was shut down. Vanished without a trace. It was run by a man named Lars Hedrickson. The only reason we got called in was because some Senator's kid was involved. He found naked Polaroids of his daughter and confronted her about it. The agency's name was _One_. I'm seeing a pattern here. Jake…uh…the agent in Philly…is checking with the police about any unsolved missing persons. He's got a call into that Senator to see if his kid can identify Hedrickson by that picture you have of Henried." Durrer gave them time to process this information.

"What about black market babies?" Morelli offered. "The victim in my case had the baby removed prior to her death. She was left open. No baby was found…alive _or_ dead."

"Do you think they grabbed Steph because she's pregnant?" Bobby asked.

"Maybe…" Tank agreed. "Or…she was getting too close. That could be why they closed up shop so fast."

"How would they even know that she was pregnant?" Ranger added. Lester groaned.

"I think we might have been followed when I took her to the doctor," he told them. "There was a gray car. I felt like it was following us, but it kept on going as I parked the truck. I didn't see it again, so I didn't give it another thought." Ranger clenched his fist.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he demanded. Lester slumped in his seat.

"Because I didn't think it _meant_ anything!" he insisted. Tank put a hand on Ranger's shoulder. Ranger sighed. He gave a short nod to Lester.

"Do you think Henried had someone following her since Tuesday?" Ram asked. "Maybe they followed us to the Hilton? It's not like anyone would have missed her puking her guts up on the sidewalk. He could have been listening to us in the waiting room for all we know."

"How did this missing girl get involved in this?" Durrer asked.

"He said Inga came to him looking for an agent," Hector said. Lester straightened up. "But, she met him on line."

"Well, the vampires said that he knew Marnie…the dead girl…and that he was sniffing around Inga, too." The confused looks on Morelli's, Juniak's, and Durrer's faces broke the tension in the room. Even Ranger's mouth twitched. Hector explained the vampire connection. Morelli shook his head.

"Only you, Steph," he muttered as he remembered her outfit from that night.

"Yeah…well we found out that Flux is _not_ a vampire club in a _big_ hurry," Hector complained.

"The girl gave Steph her number," Lester said. "They said they went to the police back when Marnie was found. She said they got blown off." Morelli frowned. Juniak shot him a look.

"I never had _any_ vampire come talk to me about this case!" he cried. "I spoke to her family, the ex-boyfriend, and co-workers. No one every approached me about her even _being_ a vampire!"

"No one is accusing you of anything, Morelli," Ranger stated flatly."You're a good cop." Juniak stood up and walked behind Morelli.

"Technically, Miss Plum cannot be listed as a missing person for 24 hours. We are continuing our _homicide_ investigation, and this will cover her disappearance as being related." Heads nodded in agreement. Durrer also rose.

"And, we will open an investigation to expand the case started in Philly," he added. "Can I get copies of all these files?" Hector jumped up to make photocopies and transfer the computer files onto a flash drive for both the FBI and TPD. "Our office is going to want to talk to the missing girl's father." Ranger looked over at Tank.

"I informed Mr. Rasmussen about the situation prior to your arrival. He wasn't exactly thrilled that this might go public," Tank stated.

"Too fucking bad," Ranger muttered. Right now, he didn't care about Mr. Rasmussen's feelings. If he had gone through the right channels in the first place, none of this would have happened. It wasn't all his fault though. Ranger placed most of the blame on himself.

Juniak and Durrer left. Durrer promised to call tomorrow after he got this information to his and the Philly office. Morelli would be Rangeman's contact person. He waited till they left before he spoke. "Okay, tell me everything. What do you mean that Steph was puking on the sidewalk?" Ranger stared at him for a moment.

"We found out on Wednesday night that she's having twins. Her hormone levels are high, and it's causing her to have severe nausea and vomiting. She got sick at the awards dinner, and we had to take her to the hospital. My sister is a doctor there and took care of her. She got IV fluids and medication, and she felt better. She's supposed to be on bed rest till Monday," Ranger explained. Morelli's eyebrows shot up at the news.

"Congratulations. Oh, and I guess congratulations on your engagement, too." Ranger nodded. What engagement, Ranger told himself as he thought about the ring upstairs on the credenza. "I'm going to review this file. Are the numbers for the…_vampires_ in here?" Hector nodded. "I'll call them tomorrow and get their statements. If you do hear from Steph…or, you find out anything important, call me."

"If we don't hear from her by morning, I'm going to tell her parents tomorrow," Ranger announced. He shook Morelli's hand, and Ram showed him out.

"What do we do now?" Lester asked. Ranger sighed.

"I'm going to look over the files again. Tank, call in some contract workers. I want the core team to work on this and nothing else. I'll call Raoul and Silvio, and see if they can help with the research." Ranger picked up his copy of the files and her laptop. "I'll be in my office if anyone finds anything." Ivy had been sleeping under Stephanie's desk. She jumped up and followed Ranger into his office. After he got settled behind his desk, she rested her head on his thigh. He rubbed the spot between her ears. "I know. I miss her, too." He opened her laptop and booted it up. As tired as he was, Ranger wouldn't allow himself to sleep. And, there was no way he was going to lay in their bed without her. If he had to take short naps just to function, he would sleep on the couch in his office. Rubbing his eyes, he hoped it would improve his ability to stare at the screen. The familiar smell of fresh coffee filled the room. A few minutes later, Tank appeared with two mugs.

"Thought you could use this." He set one mug in front of Ranger. Keeping the other for himself, he dropped onto the couch. The silence was deafening as they sipped their coffee. "So…what is your impression on this? Do you think this is something random? Or, do you think Henried had something to do with it?" Ranger took another sip before answering.

"I think at first…he wanted her out of the way. She stumbled onto some major shit. Then, he decided he could make some money off her at the same time. I think One and Omni are connected. For them to disappear without the Feds being able to find a trail, this group has major resources available to them. Maybe even high level political _friends_…if you know what I mean." He leaned back in his chair with head tipped against the headrest. "I can't lose her, Tank. Not now. Not ever."

As much as Tank wanted to assure him that wouldn't happen, his confidence was a little shaken. Bombshell was like a cat with nine lives. What if this time, she had spent them all? He didn't want to blow smoke up his best friend's ass only for the worst to happen. He swallowed hard. "We'll do everything we can, Carlos." Ranger gave him a sad smile.

"I know." After Tank left, he went back to looking through the files on her hard drive. Everything was running together. He needed to take a break, but the guilt was crushing him. She was in trouble, was she getting a break? But, if he wasn't one hundred percent, he would not be any good to her. He shut down her computer, and then stretched out on the couch. I'll only take a short nap, he told himself, and then I'll get right back to work. He thought about the nightmare he had where Stephanie was killed. Was it a premonition? Her lifeless blue eyes still haunted him. He had always been able to repress his emotions before. They just got in the way of thinking clearly. He had to shut down. He needed to focus. His family's lives depended on him being able to function. Although it had been years since he needed to do it, Ranger took a long deep breath in through his nose. After briefly holding it, he slowly blew it out his mouth. He repeated this several times, concentrating on his plan. Refocusing his mind, he pushed his feelings aside, locking his emotions away so they wouldn't interfere. He had a purpose. His purpose was to find Stephanie. Failure was not an option.

Henried was pleased. They had grabbed the Plum woman easily. They moved her to the basement of their Trenton area safe house. She would have to be kept there for a few days. The cops combed the neighborhood where she left her truck. While it was good that the focus would be several miles away, he didn't expect it this soon. She couldn't be officially declared missing for at least twenty-four hours. There must have been a connection that someone missed. Heads would roll for that. People were starting to get sloppy. The Philadelphia operation had to be shut down early as well. The Feds were tipped off by that politician's daughter. Maybe it was time to retire. After he made his cut from Stephanie Plum and her twins, he would at least take a few years off. He warned the mansion staff again about touching the pregnant ones. One of his men got a little over zealous with one girl a few months back. The abuse caused her to go into early labor. They tried to get her to the doctor as soon as they could. She performed an emergency c-section, but lost both of them. At least, Dr James was able to swap out the dead baby for a live one at the hospital. Otherwise, it would have been a total loss. Maybe he would just scale down to selling the women only. Pregnant women just added too many additional complications. It was becoming a headache. The only problem was the babies brought in the most money.

No, moving the Plum woman to the mansion was going to take some major planning. They couldn't use drugs to keep her down. Stunning pregnant women was only used as a last resort as it could cause complications. At least Dr James told him they could give her some Phenergan. That would help with the bad morning sickness she was having, and it would make her drowsy at the same time. He ordered them to give her a dose to see what happened. If she refused, they could give it intramuscularly. His phone rang. "Excellent….Did you call the midwife?...Good. I'll be there soon." Hopefully by the next day, he would be another one hundred thousand richer. Retirement was looking better all the time.

Ranger awoke with a start. Finding himself in his office confirmed that he hadn't been dreaming. Stephanie was missing. And, he didn't have a fucking clue where she was, or if she was even okay. It was only 4:30 in the morning. Would she go through her morning ritual? Was she being mistreated? He refused to wonder if she was even alive. If he even considered that as a possibility, he would completely break down. He needed to take a quick shower and get back to work, but he dreaded going back to the empty apartment. He couldn't. Not yet. He always kept a change of clothes in the locker room. Hector was in Stephanie's cube slumped over on the desk. Once a person was on Hector's good side, he would fight to the death for him. Stephanie was no exception. And luckily for Ranger, all his men felt the same way. Tank's office was dark as well as the conference room. He had no idea how long they stayed up. It didn't matter. They needed to rest. It was going to be a long day. He still had to inform the Plum family of Stephanie's disappearance. He nodded to Junior and Zip on the monitors as he headed to the locker room. The elevator doors opened and Lester emerged with Ivy.

"Oh...uh…we still haven't heard anything." Ranger nodded. It was obvious that Lester hadn't gotten any sleep yet. "I just wanted to take her out. I'm gonna try to catch a quick nap. I'll be back up in a little while." Lester awkwardly touched Ranger's arm. "Uh…you know we'll do anything and everything to get her back, right?"

"I know the key is in her files. We need to go over it and over it until we find it. I can feel it," Ranger said. "Get some sleep. I'll see you later."

Morelli and Durrer worked on their portion of the investigation. Morelli visited the neighborhood where the Escape was found. It was dusted for prints, but only Rangeman employees were found. He went from house to house, but no one saw or heard a damn thing. He drove back to the station to call the vampire, Linda. She offered to come down to the station with John and Henry as soon as possible. She was very upset to hear that Stephanie was missing as well. She was sure Henried was involved.

Ranger decided not to call ahead. This was going to be difficult no matter how he handled it, so he thought it was best to go over to her parents' house by himself. The Mercedes had an automatic transmission, so that was the logical choice. That, and the last time he had been in the Porsche was back in January. The last time he was behind that wheel, Stephanie had been on top of him as they made love. He almost smiled thinking back to that evening when he knocked her NuvaRing loose…leaving it for Hal to find thinking it was an O-ring. No, he would take the Mercedes. There wasn't one place in his building that he didn't feel her presence. Except maybe the gym. It was the first time driving since the accident. It felt weird to drive. Time flew by during the short drive to Stephanie's parents' house.

Frank remained quiet. Helen immediately started running her mouth. "What has she gotten herself into now? What was she thinking? How could she put those babies in danger?" Frank put a hand on her shoulder and just glared at her. Now, he knew where Stephanie got that look. The rolling of the eyes had come from Helen, but the death glare came from Frank.

"I want to help you, Carlos. I can't sit by this time and not do anything. Even if it's handing out flyers, answering phones…I don't care." Ranger nodded.

"We'll think of something, Frank. I'll take all the help I can get." Grandma Mazur piped up.

"I can help, too!" she offered. "I'll ask around down at the Cut & Curl. If anyone knows anything, those old biddies will."

"Thank you," Ranger answered. He wasn't going to leave any stone unturned. And because this was Stephanie, the lead that helped them find her could very well come from her grandmother's beauty salon for all he knew. "We're meeting again later this afternoon…with Morelli and the FBI. I'll call you with a time." Frank shook his hand.

"I'll be there." That was hard. The look on Frank's face was probably worse than his own. He didn't have that special bond with Julie that Frank had with Stephanie. Again, another mistake from his past. He had been given a second chance with Stephanie. He was going to be a _real _father, and he'd be damned if he would screw it up this time. He wanted that special bond with his children. And when Stephanie was back home safe, he was also going to work on a better relationship with Julie. He didn't want to take anything away from Ron. He was a good man. But, he wanted Julie to know him…_Carlos_…and not Ranger. It started to dawn on him that being Carlos again was not such a bad thing. He let Stephanie get to know Carlos, and she still loved him. What his father told him was finally sinking in. Ranger wasn't actually losing his identity, he was finding it again.

Ella was busy preparing food for an army. She knew immediately when Ranger came to the door earlier that morning that something was wrong with Stephanie. At first, she thought he was going to say that she had a miscarriage. She never expected this. Where was she? Was she okay? Luis took almost an hour to calm her down. She was terrified for Stephanie. Then, her concerned turned to Ranger. He hadn't been himself lately either. She heard that Ranger had called in more contract staff. Of course, he would have his best men working on finding Stephanie. She also heard them mention the Trenton PD and the FBI. At least it sounded like they had an army working on this case, so it was only fitting that she made sure everyone was well fed. They would need to keep up their strength. Ella and Luis were not blessed with children of their own. They were friends with Ranger's older siblings and had known Ranger most of his life. He was like a son to them. And now, Stephanie was like their daughter. If she didn't keep herself busy, Ella would have broken down. Ranger and his men didn't need to worry about anything else right now. She felt like she was doing her part to help the team. _Ivy!_ She made sure she had fresh water. The guys had been taking turns walking her. Everyone wanted to do their part to help. Taking care of Stephanie's dog seemed to be a part of that. Ella bustled around the 5th floor making sure everyone got enough to eat and keeping the coffee pots filled. No one had any idea how long this would take.

Stephanie reached up and gently touched the back of her head. Hissing, she pulled her hand away from the tacky, matted down hair. She felt like she had the worst hangover in her entire life. That horrible nausea had returned too. This time, she didn't have enough time to react and rolled onto her side. She hurled the contents of her stomach onto the floor. After what seemed to be a hundred dry heaves, her stomach finally calmed down. She remembered going to meet Inga, but was fuzzy on the rest. It looked like she was in a half-finished basement room. Dampness and a slight musty odor made it feel like a basement. There was no window, and one wall was cinderblocks. With her bladder getting ready to burst, she needed a bathroom fast! Stephanie slowly sat up, but the room still began to spin. Her head began to pound. She had no clue what she was hit with, but someone really got her good. She spied a portable camping toilet in the corner. "Oh _please_ don't tell me that's what I have to use," she groaned. As she suspected, the door was locked. She found a roll of toilet paper next to it on the floor. Yeah, they _did_ expect her to use it. Swell. She guessed it was better than a bucket in the corner…or worse…nothing at all.

She quickly finished her business and sat back on the cot. There was nothing to clean up the mess she made on the floor. Stephanie had no idea where she was, or who did this to her. Stephanie wanted to scream or call out, but not knowing what her situation was could make it worse. She knew it had something to do with Inga. Inga! Was she alright? Inga called her in a panic. Did Henried's men find them? Her thoughts turned to Ranger, and her heart sank. She thought about the conversation she overheard. He would probably just assume that she left. And, what's worse, she didn't think he'd care. The pain in her heart eclipsed the pain in her head. Was he looking for her? Does he even know that she's in trouble? She curled up into a ball and began to cry.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

The next few days were long and tense. Ranger was wound up as tight as a spring. His exterior appeared calm, but the intensity of his stare was deadly. Nothing. They found nothing. The Trenton PD and the FBI spoke to every person that lived on the block. No one saw or heard a God damn thing. Where was she? He still had not been back to the apartment. Ranger had Ella bring him what he needed. He was grateful that she didn't question it. Tank tried to encourage him to get more rest. Yeah…like that was going to happen! He was missing something…he could feel it. And, it was something simple. He knew he would blow if something didn't break soon. He was supposed to start PT with Bobby this week. Because he knew that Stephanie would be upset with him if he didn't, he decided it was important enough to take the time to do it. Frank Plum came to the office every day. There wasn't much for him to do, but Ranger understood it made him feel like he was helping.

Raoul and Silvio were helping with the research from the Miami office. Raoul also had made some phone calls to his contacts in the Newark Police Department. There were a few cases that sounded similar with a missing pregnant teen. Durrer was checking into that case. Although Ranger told him it wasn't necessary, Raoul was flying up later in the week. Their mother was a mess. Their father was holding her together. His family needed him. His wife, Marissa, was so supportive. If the kids weren't in school, they all would have come. His little brother needed all the support he could get right now.

Val tried to keep busy herself. The curses that were flying around would have built a new playground for the local park, but she refused to shake the jar or say a word. Some remembered and put money in anyway. Having Hal to lean on really helped. Hal was incredibly thoughtful and considerate. He checked on her frequently throughout the day. He called her every night before she went to bed. Even though she was worried sick the last time Stephanie was missing, she hadn't been _physically_ there for it. And, she and Stephanie had gotten closer since that time as well. The laxity in the office was long gone. The men snapped to attention, moved with military precision, and answered the orders that were barked at them with a _Yes, Sir_ or _No, Sir_! Val knew that if anyone could find her sister, Ranger and his men could. It was that thought that kept her from completely losing her mind.

Tank stole a few minutes here and there to be with Lula. She had been doing a little investigating on her own. Pounding the pavement on Stark Street, she asked former _co-workers_ if anyone had heard of Loethar Henried or anything about a white slavery ring. Lula went on and on about how she was going to _fuck that punk-ass mother fucker_ _up_ when she got her hands on him. The more time Tank spent with Lula, the more he saw the kind, caring, and beautiful woman underneath that layer of loud colors and spandex. And, what surprised him the most was the comfort he received from just being with her. Lula saw through his rough exterior and made him feel…wanted. She made him feel like a man again. There was also a part that made him feel a little guilty for enjoying his time with Lula, while Ranger was in so much pain with Stephanie missing.

Hector found another dead end with the cell phone numbers. Several were linked to pre-paid phones that had been disconnected. They covered their tracks with perfection. Eventually, people got sloppy. They always did. He hoped they slipped up somewhere. He decided to check the records daily. The call to Stephanie's cell phone was made with a pre-paid phone. No way to trace it. He looked on the Embrace the Night website. There were no more posts from High Priest. Ranger believed the way to find Stephanie was in her files and notes. Hector got the same feeling initially, but he was losing faith. But, he wasn't going to find anything in the state he was in without sleep. He shut down the computer before heading to his apartment. He noticed Ranger staring out the window in his office. He rapped on the door to get his attention. Ranger gave him a curt nod. "I'm gonna try to get a little sleep. I'll run through everything again. Nothing's jumping out at me." Then, something occurred to him. Something obvious. "Uh…I don't know if this will make a difference or not…but, I don't think we're finding any clues because our train of thought is different. We're not thinking like, Bonita." Ranger raised an eyebrow.

Hector was on to something. Ranger expected to find something black and white. Stephanie didn't think that way. She wasn't organized…well organized by his definition. "I think you're right. Get some sleep. I might try to get some myself. We'll need all the rest we can get if we're going to try to think like Stephanie." Hector gave him a weak smile. Normally, Ranger would have grinned. Stephanie always had her own way of doing things. It wasn't what he would consider logical, but it made sense to her. His heart ached too much to allow him to smile. He couldn't until he knew that she was safe.

Ram and Woody got back late from responding to an alarm. It was the family with the Alzheimer's patient again. They helped get the alarm reset while the family profusely apologized again. The family hoped to have her placed by next month as she was on a waiting list. A few blocks over, they noticed red flashing lights. Driving slowly past the street to rubber neck, the commotion was a few fire trucks and police cars. The fire department was working on a house fire. Ram decided to swing through McDonalds on the way back. "I know Ella's got that placed stocked, but man, can I go for a greasy hamburger and fries." Woody nodded in agreement. They were both physically and emotionally drained as well. The unknown seemed to be kicking everyone's ass around the moon.

Hector and Ranger had been taking turns going through Stephanie's files on her computer. Ranger was standing over his shoulder. Hector was finishing up and getting ready to let Ranger take over. "Wait…back up," Ranger ordered. He pointed to a file that he didn't remember seeing before. "What is that?" The file read _Dickhead_. Hector smirked as he opened it. They were looking for files related to the case. Like Hector reminded him, this was Stephanie's thought process they were dealing with. The file contained the results of the search she had done on her ex-husband, Dickie Orr. She found a Swiss bank account that contained millions of dollars. She also ran on search on the law firm where he worked. They skimmed through a long list of clients till they came to Omni.

"Holy Shit," Hector muttered. Ranger tried to calm himself. But, he knew. He knew from the bottom of his soul that this was the link that was going to help them find her. That piece of shit Orr was involved in this mess.

"Bring that in the conference room and get everyone together. I'll call Durrer." Ranger headed for his office. Hector ran to get Tank. Ranger immediately called Durrer.

"We'll bring him in," Durrer warned. "I know you want to do it yourself, but we'll need him in this case. We don't want to do anything to fuck up our evidence. He might not know anything about Stephanie. But, he may know how the operation works. That may be enough to find her. Hang tight. I'll call you as soon as we pick him up." Ranger knew what he said was true. He wanted to kill Dickie Orr. But, they may need him to find Stephanie. Jesus, he thought, please let this be what they need to find her!

Morelli was called to the scene of the house fire from the night before. A body was found in the basement. A headless body. The fire marshal was sure the house had been intentionally set to cover a murder. The house had been on the market for quite a while. The owner had died and left it to her daughter. She lived out of state and decided to sell it. No one had lived in the house in months. Morelli was shown where the body was found. The fire was out, but the basement was still hot and steamy. Firemen were still sifting through the rubble. The forensic team was taking pictures and collecting evidence around the body. The stench of charred flesh and smoke filled the air. The body looked like a huge, burnt marshmallow. Nothing for Morelli to do here. He needed to ask the neighbors if they saw anything. DNA was the only thing that was going to identify that person. No one was home at the house on the left. The owner of the house on the right worked nights. He thought he heard a woman crying a few times over the past couple of days. He dismissed it as a neighbor's TV being too loud. "People don't think about the noises they make during the day," he said. "Not till they start working night shift." Morelli agreed. He turned to leave. "Oh…I did notice a red GTO in the driveway the other day. Nice wheels. Might be nothing. I know they're trying to sell that place. I heard they hadn't had much luck with the market being so shitty right now." He didn't get the plate number. Morelli thanked him and headed to the next house.

By the time Morelli was done questioning the neighbors, the body was being removed by the Medical Examiner's Office. "We'll take some tissue samples, run some simple tests…DNA results will take a couple of weeks. It's obvious this one didn't die in the fire. Was probably decapitated to make the ID harder." They loaded the body into the truck. "I'll call you as soon as I have something." Morelli nodded. This case was going to be as crazy as the rest, he groaned to himself. Killers were getting more creative all the time. He headed back to the office to make out his report.

Durrer and his new partner, Dani Harris, picked Dickie Orr up at his office. He immediately began to sweat when Durrer mentioned Omni. "I don't know what you are talking about," he insisted. "I want to call my attorney. I'm not going to answer any more questions." Durrer smiled.

"Of course, Mr. Orr. In the mean time, we're going to subpoena all your records regarding that Swiss bank account and your clients. Truthfully, we don't want you. We want the major players. But, right now, I'll take who I can get." Durrer opened the door. "Think about that while you call your lawyer. We'll be right back." He and Dani left the room. "I think if we make him a deal, he'll sing like a canary. This putz is only loyal to himself."

Morelli finished up his report. He checked in with the Chief to see if anything new had been found with Stephanie. His cell phone buzzed. It was the ME's office. "Morelli."

"So far the only thing we know is that the victim was a pregnant female. No drugs in the tissues but tested positive for HCG. We'll know more as the toxicology and DNA results come back."

"Shit," Morelli muttered. The Chief raised his eyebrows.

"What?" Morelli leaned back against the wall.

"ME says the homicide victim from the fire was a pregnant female." Now, the Chief paled.

"Oh Christ!" He motioned for Morelli to follow him to his office. "Don't let this out yet. We don't know for sure that it's Stephanie Plum. Do we have any pregnant missing persons that are outstanding?" Morelli shook his head. "Do you want me to tell Manoso?" Morelli shook his head again.

"I'll do it. I want to go back to the scene. Look around. Maybe I can find something else." Morelli ran a hand across his face. "Then, I'll stop by Rangeman."

The fire department already left the scene. Police tape remained and two uniforms were present to secure the place. One nodded to Morelli as he ducked under the tape. The acrid smell of the body lingered in the basement. They didn't find the head. If the murderer didn't want the identity of the body known, he didn't expect they would. Nothing else but the charred guts of the house left. Sighing, Morelli trudged back up the basement steps. He turned to close the outer doors when something pink caught his eye. It was next to the stairs under a bush. His knees weakened, and he sat down hard. It was a pink heart-shaped stone on a rose gold chain. He had seen that necklace many times before. It was Stephanie's.

Ranger was grateful for his rehab session. Waiting for news was taking its toll. Durrer confirmed they picked up Orr. When he was confronted, he insisted on his attorney. Durrer figured he would rat them out if offered a deal. At this point, Ranger didn't care what they offered Orr. As long as it helped to get Stephanie back, it didn't matter. He could take care of Orr later if he found out that Orr had anything to do directly with Stephanie's disappearance. "How's it feeling?" Ranger was pulled out of his thoughts by Bobby. "Your shoulder…how does it feel?"

"Sore…but good." His range of motion was limited. Some of the exercises were pretty painful, but Ranger mustered through them. Pain was a good distraction. He was also from the old school of no pain…no gain. Of course, Stephanie was from the school of no pain is no pain. He glanced at his watch again. Shit, it felt like time stood still today. Ram poked his head in the gym.

"Morelli's here. Um…he doesn't look too good." Ranger and Bobby jumped up and jogged to his office. Ram was right. Morelli looked like shit.

"Report!" Ranger barked. Okay, so Morelli wasn't one of his men. Old habits die hard. Morelli took a deep breath.

"This is confidential, and we're not leaking this news to the press yet." He looked around at Val and the men looking at him anxiously. "There was a victim found in the basement of that house fire last night. So far, the ME confirmed that it was a pregnant female." A pin drop could be heard. "More tests will take time. But…I found this in the backyard." He pulled the heart pendant from his pocket and placed it in Ranger's hand. Ranger stared at it blankly for a few seconds before clenching it tight in his fist. He felt like his world just ended.

"Oh my God!" Val screamed, breaking the silence. She backed towards her desk and bumped into the Swear Jar knocking it over. Turning to look at it, she picked it up with both hands. "Stupid fucking _thing_!" She cocked it back over her head and launched it across the room. It shattered with dollar bills and change flying everywhere. Ranger pulled her too him as she sobbed. "No! She can't be dead! Not now! We're finally acting like real sisters! This can't be happening! Not now!"

"Hal," Ranger said softly. "Take her home. Stay with her." Ranger hugged her before transferring her to Hal's waiting arms. He looked around the room.

"We don't have proof that it's definitely her," Morelli offered. "We'll need some DNA samples to compare…." He trailed off. "I'm sorry." Ranger looked into his eyes. The pain he felt was echoed in Morelli's eyes.

"We found a connection with Omni and Dickie Orr. The Feds are with him now," Ranger told him flatly. He headed to the elevator.

"Where are you going?" Tank asked him.

"I need to tell her parents." Tank ran up behind him.

"I'll go with you." Ranger opened his mouth to argue but nodded. It was probably best that he didn't drive. He wanted to kill someone, something, anything at that moment. If this information was real, his Stephanie, his world, his life, was dead. And, their children. He had just lost everything.

Needless to say, the Plums did not take the news well. No shit, Ranger thought. The return to Haywood was short and quiet. Tank got off on the 5th floor, but Ranger continued to 7. The apartment was void of life. It felt strange to be there. This was his place before he met her, but it was more of a home after she moved in. Nothing had been touched or moved. The suitcase was still by the door. The ring on the credenza. He stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower. He felt numb. He refused to believe that body found was his Stephanie. His heart refused to accept that she was gone. He would continue to look for her. Until he got proof, actual confirmation that she was dead, he would never give up on her. He turned off the water and dried off with the towel before wrapping it around his waist. He padded to his closet. He grabbed a pair of sweats and pulled them on. A flash of pink caught his eye as he turned to leave. It was the jacket to the velour pink track suit that he loved so much. He buried his face into its softness and inhaled her scent. Shit, he needed a drink. Clenching the jacket in his fist, he headed to the kitchen. He searched the cabinets till he found the bottle of Mescal he got from Central America. He grabbed the bottle and went into the living room, picking up the ring box on his way. He placed the ring box next to the heart pendant on the coffee table. Sighing, he unscrewed the cap off the bottle and took a long drink. Closing his eyes, he leaned back on the couch as he felt the burn go down.

Ranger wasn't a regular drinker. He used to binge drink on occasion before he got his act together. Drinking wasn't going to solve his problem, but right now, he didn't care. After a few more swallows, Ranger walked over to the piano. He reminisced about the night he gave it to her, when he found her sitting on top of it in that sexy outfit on Christmas morning, and the times she played for him. Now, he needed to hear her voice. The CD was on top of the stereo. He popped it in and set it to loop. He flopped back on the couch as the song began to play. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Babe," he whispered before taking another drink.

Tank sat in his office practically in the dark. The desk lamp gave off enough light to illuminate his massive shape in the chair. The Control Room was eerily quiet. The news Morelli brought knocked the wind out of their sails. Durrer called to let them know that Orr accepted a deal to spill the beans for complete immunity. Tank gave him the upsetting news of the body that was found.

"Shit," Durrer muttered. "Are they sure?"

"No, but her necklace was found at the scene."

"I'm sorry. How is Manoso taking this?"

"Not good. None of us are taking it well."

"We're still going after him with everything we've got. Until we know for sure, we can't give up. Orr is in protective custody. He starts talking tomorrow morning. I'll let you know what we get." Tank thanked him and disconnected. His office phone rang. It was Raoul. He couldn't reach Ranger. Tank repeated the depressing news.

"How's he doing?"

"He hadn't been up to the apartment since it happened. When we got back from her parents, he went straight upstairs. I haven't talked to him since. I wanted to give him his space."

"I was coming up later in the week. I'll be on the next available flight. Have him call me. And, call me right away if you hear anything," Raoul insisted. After they finished their conversation, Tank noticed Ella standing in the doorway.

"I'm sorry to interrupt…" she began.

"That was Raoul. He's coming up on the next flight." Ella sighed.

"Good. He's going to need him here. I was just up there to bring him dinner. He's….he's not doing well." There were tears in her eyes. "He's drinking, and he's listening to her song over and over again. I…I don't know what to do for him. He asked me to leave him alone." Tank nodded.

"I'll look in on him," he assured her. Tank wasn't surprised. Ranger had been on a downward spiral since the crash. There was only so much a person can deal with before he has a meltdown. Ranger could resist more than most men, but he was still just a man. He went upstairs and let himself in the apartment. Bombshell's song blasted through the speakers. He found Ranger sitting on the floor in front of the couch staring into space. "Carlos?" He sat on the floor next to him. "Carlos?"

Ranger was pulled out of his stupor. He turned to look at his friend. Blank face gave away no emotion. He turned and took another drink. Tank took the bottle from him and took his own turn. They sat in silence while listening to Stephanie's haunting vocals and piano playing. "What did she ever do to deserve this?" Ranger reached for the bottle. "If anyone deserves something to happen to them…it's me. I've killed people. Some of them, I even enjoyed it. But Stephanie…she doesn't deserve any of this." Tank nodded and took the bottle back. "I just can't fucking believe this. I refuse to accept that she's gone."

"Is that why you're sitting here on the floor in the dark?" Tank asked then took another drink. Ranger frowned.

"I'm _not_ sitting on the floor. What the fuck are you talking about?" Ranger slurred back. Tank looked down, and Ranger followed his gaze. "What the fuck am I doing on the floor?" He held his hand out for the bottle, which was now half empty.

"I'm not going to feed you a line of shit right now, my friend," Tank told him as he helped him back to the couch. "That might be Bombshell. But, it might not. I know you're not giving up on her. Neither am I. Or, any one of us for that matter. We'll keep going until we know for sure." Ranger nodded.

"I'm not giving up on her, Tank," Ranger insisted. "I love her. She's having my children. I just…." Ranger looked at the bottle in his lap and sighed. He put it back on the coffee table. "I just lost it."

"I know. It's okay, Carlos," Tank reassured him. "I told you before. You're human. There is only so much a person can take before he cracks. You are stronger than most, man. Raoul is on his way up here. It's okay to lean on people. We are all here for you. And, for Bombshell. Why don't you let me help you to bed? Get a good night's sleep for once. Sleep this shit off. We'll start fresh in the morning." Ranger shook his head.

"No…I'll sleep on the couch. I don't want to sleep in our bed." Tank nodded. Ranger stretched out and sighed. "What am I going to do without her?" he whispered as he passed out. Tank prayed that he wouldn't have to find out the answer to that one. He took one last drink from the bottle before he recapped it and put in back in the kitchen. The song started over again. Tank sat in the oversized chair and listened. He sadly surveyed the items on the coffee table…the heart necklace and the engagement ring. He didn't know that Stephanie had given it back to him. He knew they had a fight, but he didn't realize it was that bad. Still clenched in his hand was her pink jacket. Tank turned the stereo off after the song was over. He glanced back at Ranger one last time before heading down to his own apartment. Yeah, he hoped that his friend would never have to find out what life would be like without her.

Across town, Morelli finally got home. What a fucked up day! He grabbed a beer out of the fridge and headed up stairs. He popped the top and took a long pull. He put the can on the dresser then pulled off his shirt. He then opened the closet and reached for something on the top shelf. In his hand was a black stuffed dog. It was old and worn. He never told Stephanie that he still had it. He kept it in his foot locker when he was in the Navy. It always reminded him of her. She loved that stuffed dog. Part of the reason he bought Ivy for her was the guilt he felt for keeping that thing all these years. He drained the rest of his beer and tossed the can in the trash. He pulled back the covers and slid into the bed. Holding the dog close, the tears fell.

Lester, Bobby, and Ram sat up on the roof in Stephanie's usual spot. They were in shock. This whole situation was surreal. Stephanie was there one day and vanished the next. None of them could accept that was Stephanie's body. She came into all of their lives like a hurricane…a total force of nature. It was almost unfathomable that someone that was so full of life…could be dead. They knew Ranger, the man of steel, would crack if he lost her. And, it wasn't just Stephanie…she was carrying his children, too. All of Rangeman had been working nonstop. They felt like they just crashed into a brick wall. But, it was unspoken that they would continue to hunt that mother fucker down if Stephanie was dead.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Ranger slowly reached up to remove the vice that he swore must have been screwed around his head. A furry weight sat on his chest. The lick to his chin let him know that it was Ivy. Fuck. He was never drinking again. He got a whiff of breakfast, and his stomach rolled. He quickly pushed Ivy to the side and ran for the bathroom. While he emptied the contents of his stomach into the bowl, he felt a presence standing behind him.

"Looks like you had a rough night, Little Brother." Raoul!

"What are….." He heaved again. On his knees, he hugged the bowl for support. Jesus…Stephanie went through this every morning. Although he was so glad his brother was here, he didn't want anyone to see him like this. He hated to show any display of weakness. Raoul put his hand out which Ranger took. He helped him up and embraced him.

"I'm sorry." Raoul told him. Ranger nodded. He couldn't answer him. He still didn't want to acknowledge the possibility that Stephanie was dead.

"What are you doing here?" Raoul headed back to the kitchen to get Ranger some coffee.

"Tank called me last night. I already planned on coming up later this week, but…." He paused to pour both of them a cup. "I thought it was better to get up here right away after what happened." Ranger sat on one of the stools and took a sip.

"That wasn't her, Raoul." Raoul just nodded. Now was not the time to argue with him. The evidence strongly suggested that it was Stephanie. Ranger was in denial and refused to accept the facts. He placed a plate of egg whites, turkey bacon, and wheat toast in front of him, but Ranger waved it away.

"So…" Raoul hopped on to the other stool, "…what is on the agenda for today?" Ranger rubbed his temples. Raoul slapped two, extra-strength Tylenol down in front of him. Ranger smirked but gladly accepted them.

"The FBI's interrogating Dickie Orr, Stephanie's ex-husband. Somehow, he's involved." Raoul sucked in his breath.

"Shit," he muttered. Ranger looked over at Ivy. "She was out a little while ago. I can't believe how big she got." Ranger nodded. He didn't want to speak, or think, or even breathe too loud. He finished his coffee, placed the cup in the sink, and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He downed half of it in one gulp.

"I'm going to take a shower. Be right back." Raoul nodded then grabbed the other plate of food.

The warmth of the shower made him feel somewhat human. He shaved and brushed his teeth. He robotically went through the motions. He didn't know how much longer he was going to be able to put up this front. But, what if Stephanie wasn't in that house? And she was out there somewhere? She needed him. That little glimmer of hope gave him the strength to keep going. Thank God for Raoul being here. Ranger could always count on him. Raoul was his rock. He exited the steamy cocoon of the bathroom to get dressed. His clothes from the night before were haphazardly hung on the bench. Picking them up to toss them in the hamper, his phone dropped to the floor. His head screamed as he bent over to retrieve it. One missed message. Not expecting anything important, he opened the phone and called in to listen. Through tears and a shaky voice he heard_…._

"_C-Carlos? I know y-you probably don't want to h-hear from me, but I-I didn't know who else t-to call. I don't know where I am. I j-just went to pick up Inga. I w-was set up. They want to s-sell our b-babies. I…."_

She gasped, there was a gun shot, and then the phone went dead. He fell to his knees with his head in his hands. Thank God! She's still alive! He grabbed the phone again to check the time the message was left. 0400. God dammit! If he wasn't so busy feeling _fucking_ sorry for himself he wouldn't have missed that call. He would have been able to talk to her. Let her know that he loved her and was looking for her. He could have eased some of the pain that radiated from her voice. Then, he remembered the gun shot. Was she shot? Is she still alright? She said they wanted to sell the twins which meant they probably weren't planning to hurt her just yet. Yeah, that was what he was going to allow himself to believe, and he was sticking to that. He needed to get dressed and have Hector work on tracing that call. He jammed himself into his pants, almost catching himself in the zipper. "Rao!" He ran to the kitchen. "That wasn't her! She's alive. I got a message from her last night!"

"Oh, thank God!" He pulled Ranger into a bear hug. Raoul grabbed the phone. "Finish getting ready. I'll get on tracking down that call." Raoul had assembled the team, and Hector was working on tracking the call by the time Ranger made it downstairs. The thick tension that smothered the office over the past few days was gone. There was a renewed sense of hope, and moods were lifted. Lester tossed the morning paper on the table in front of Ranger.

"Check that out. Looks like we have a leak somewhere," he growled. Ranger unfolded the paper. _Bombshell Bounty Hunter Burns to Death in Fire! _"I thought they were keeping that under wraps? I mean, the body hasn't even been identified yet." Ranger looked at Tank.

"Call Morelli," he instructed. He glanced at his watch. He knew time didn't matter when it came to calling Frank. He needed to know that Stephanie was not the body found in that house before he read his morning paper. He excused himself and headed to his office for privacy. It was apparent that he woke Frank by the huskiness of his voice. "Sorry to wake you up. Stephanie wasn't in that fire. I got a message from her early this morning. I still don't know where she is, but that body was not her." Ranger swallowed hard as he heard Frank sob.

"Thank God," he whispered after he finally collected himself. "What did she say? Is she alright? Did you tell her that we are looking for her?" Ranger closed his eyes and clenched his fist.

"I didn't talk to her. I just got a voice message at 4:00 this morning." He didn't elaborate. If Frank asked why he missed the call, he would tell him. But, he was too embarrassed and angry with himself to offer the truth.

"She said she was set up. Inga called her and asked her to pick her up. We're trying to trace the call. The FBI will be interrogating Orr today. My brother flew up from Miami last night. He'll be a big help to us. We'll get her back, Frank. We'll get all 3 of them back. I promise you," Ranger told him. "And, I wanted to catch you before you read the paper. Someone leaked information that it was Stephanie in that fire. Actually, I'm thinking that might work in our favor. If they think that everyone believes she is dead, they might drop their guard."

"Whatever you think is best, Carlos," Frank replied. "We'll all go along with it." He ended the call and went back to the conference room.

"Morelli will be here soon. He's calling the Chief to see if he knows about the leak," Tank informed him.

"We might be able to use that to our advantage," Ranger announced. "They wanted us to think she's dead. Probably to buy them some time to move her. If we believe she's dead, we won't be looking for her. They might get sloppy." Heads nodded.

Beth Barnwell choked on her coffee as she read the morning headlines. She read the article three times before it actually started to sink in. She just met Stephanie Plum last week! Her son was very taken with her and her coworkers. But, there was something very odd about the whole thing. She had received a fax from St Peter's Hospital of New Brunswick with her toxicology results a few days ago. She tested positive for ipecac. She practically had torn the clinic apart looking for her file until she found it in Dr James' private office. At first, it didn't strike her as odd because Stephanie was just seen. But, when she brought the lab results to Dr James' attention, she told her that Stephanie was no longer a patient there, and she was going to dispose of her file. Nor, did she have a request to forward her records to her new OB/GYN. This was contrary to normal office procedure as well as the American Medical Association's recommendation to keep medical records for at least ten years after the last visit. Stephanie hadn't mentioned anything about leaving the practice to her that Friday. Then again, that would have been her personal business. Another odd coincidence was the house that burned was across the street from them. Tommy swore he saw Stephie just before the fire. He was going to be so upset when he found out that she had died.

Stephanie huddled under her blanket on the cot in her makeshift cell. She had been moved to the basement…_again_. She massaged her right hip where she had gotten a shot of Phenergan. Blood still oozed a little from the sight, and it had burned like hell. She took the ice pack off her ankle to examine the swelling. It was most likely a sprain. Rubbing her eyes, she thought back to the night before. One of her guards was a guy around her age named Dan. Somehow, he overheard the talk that she was Ranger's girlfriend. He had served in the Army with Ranger. He was fresh out of RIP during the final year Ranger was active. Talk about a coincidence! He told Stephanie that he was trying to find his sister. She had been missing for over a year. He tracked this outfit down through the _One_ agency in Philly. He only hooked up with them a couple a weeks ago. Dan was trying to earn their trust and find out how the system worked, so he could find out what they did with her. When he heard them talking about Manoso and Rangeman, he figured that Ranger would be able to help him. And, he could help Ranger's girlfriend in the process. Dan didn't learn any of this till she was moved upstate. Would have been a hell of a lot easier to while they were still in Trenton. They put her in a small bedroom on the second floor. Dan snuck in to see her and gave Stephanie his cell to call Ranger. But, the other guards burst in her room. Khalid, the head guard, shot him. Stephanie was splattered with his brains and blood. While they were preoccupied with him, Stephanie jumped out of the second story window to escape. She still had his cell phone in her hand. Coming down hard on her ankle, she couldn't run. Hell, she could barely walk. She didn't get a chance to put Dan on the phone to tell Ranger where they were. Before they could grab her, she tossed the cell phone into the bushes. If she ever got the chance to slip out again, she would hopefully be able to make another call. That was as long as they didn't find the phone. Should she try calling Ranger again? Or just call 911? Shit. She didn't even know if Ranger would care. Damn it, Stephanie, she scolded herself, you know Carlos cares. Even if he doesn't want to be with you anymore, he would still help you! As they moved her from the basement of first house, she tossed her heart necklace on the ground by the outer basement door hoping that it would be found. Since Ranger had it custom-made for her, he would know that she had been there. Her new cell was a little bigger than the old one. Still with the port-a-potty. Swell. Dan told her that Inga was okay. She was just in another part of the house. He made sure Stephanie knew that Inga was forced to call her. Khalid had a gun to her head. The only positive thing here was that they made sure she had food and drink. She needed to take care of her babies and herself. The Phenergan was helping with the nausea. It was a double edged-sword. She needed to be able to eat and drink. This would keep her strength up as well as making sure the twins got their calories, too. They even provided her with prenatal vitamins. But, it made her drowsy as well. Stephanie hated to lose any sense of control and make herself more vulnerable. Especially around Khalid. His hungry leers and roaming hands made her skin crawl. The more time he spent with her, the more aggressive he became. Although she tried denial, it wasn't working. Khalid frightened her. Stephanie felt it was only a matter of time before he started taking more liberties with her. "Please find me, Carlos," she whispered to the darkness.

Morelli almost cried when Tank told him Stephanie had called Ranger. But, that only solved one problem. Yeah, she wasn't dead, thank God, but where was she? And, was she okay? The only people that even knew the preliminary results from the ME's office were him and the Chief. So, the leak had to come from the ME's office. He let the Chief know that he would be at Rangeman for the day. He immediately noticed that the atmosphere at Rangeman had changed as well. The oppressive cloud that hung over the building and their souls, had lifted. They all had hope again.

Hector found the call came from another pre-paid cell. He gave that information to the FBI because they would be able to subpoena the records faster than the Trenton PD. The front desk called up to the conference room to advise Ranger that a woman named Beth Barnwell was there to see him. It was about Stephanie, and it was important. Hal went down to escort her up. "That's Tommy's mother," Lester told them.

"How would she be involved in this?" Ranger asked. Lester shrugged.

"She works in the office where Steph's doctor is. That's where we met her," he explained. A few minutes later, Hal appeared with Beth.

"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you," she began, "especially after what happened to Stephanie, but I…" She trailed off, covering her mouth and eyes welled with tears. She was obviously shaken by what brought her to Rangeman. Bobby helped her to the open chair next to Ranger. "I'm sorry," she told them again after pulling herself together. "I've probably been watching too many CSI shows, but I just don't think it's a coincidence." Ranger looked to Morelli who nodded in agreement.

"Before you continue, I have to tell you that it was _not_ Stephanie that died in that fire," Ranger told her. Her head snapped up.

"But, Tommy saw her there!" she cried.

"Stephanie has been missing since Saturday night," Ranger explained. "Her necklace was found there, and the body was a pregnant female. I got a message from her this morning."

"Oh…thank God," she whispered as she placed a hand over her heart.

"You said you had some information on Stephanie," Ranger prodded. She vigorously nodded. She took the lab results and handed them to Ranger.

"I got that fax from St Peter's on Monday. I looked all over for her file and found it in Dr James' office. I didn't think much of it because Stephanie was just seen on Friday. Dr James usually keeps the file till she dictates her notes. But, I wanted to make sure she saw this result, so I pointed it out to her. She told me that Stephanie was no longer a patient with us, and she would destroy her file." Ranger and Tank exchanged looks. "Did she find a new doctor?" Ranger shook his head. Before he could tell Hector to run a search on Dr James, he jumped up to get his laptop from Stephanie's cubicle.

"I'm on it!" Ranger looked down at the results. Bobby peered over his shoulder.

"Ipecac?" Bobby called out. "Shit! No _wonder_ she threw up so hard!"

"What is that?" Woody asked.

"It's a syrup you give to someone to make them vomit. Like if they took an overdose of pills or something. Obviously, you wouldn't give them this if they drank Clorox. Someone _intentionally_ gave this to Stephanie at the hotel." Ranger closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. _Camel Toe_! That fucking bitch must have done it. When Ranger opened his eyes, he noticed Tank staring at him in anticipation.

"Well?"

"Do you remember the girl we interviewed last week? The one Stephanie didn't like…uh….Camel Toe? Or whatever her real name is." He couldn't remember her correct name so he went with it. There were a few snickers around the room. Tank nodded. "She worked at the hotel."

"Ipecac is contraindicated in pregnant women. Especially in the last trimester. It can cause uterine stimulation. The later in the pregnancy, the more likely it can bring on early labor," Beth explained. Ranger swore under his breath. He knew it was Camel Toe, but now wasn't the time to address it. Right now, his only concern was getting Stephanie back. They could take care of her later.

"You think she gave this to her?" Tank asked. His blood began to boil. Ranger nodded.

"She was dehydrated as it was. That shit pushed her over the edge," Bobby agreed. He, too, began to simmer. There was an unspoken, zero-tolerance policy for attacks on Stephanie. Even if it was meant as some sick joke. Hector rushed back into the room.

"Dr James has been receiving payments from that same Swiss bank account," he announced. "She's definitely involved in this."

"I think you need to let Durrer handle that. Since it involves multi-state and international dealings, it would be turned over to them anyway," Morelli suggested. Then, he thought about his case. "Beth, did Dr James treat a patient by the name Marna or Marnie Summers?" Beth frowned.

"I don't remember her. We just moved back here a couple of months ago. But, her file was with Stephanie's. Is she missing too?" Morelli shook his head.

"Uh…no. She was murdered. Her body was found just before Christmas. The baby had been removed prior to her death." Beth paled.

"Oh my God!" She buried her face in her hands. "This is too much. I don't believe this is happening. Tommy kept telling me that he saw Stephie. We live across the street from that house that burned. He kept saying the red goat took her to New York. Tommy is mentally challenged and doesn't always say things that make sense. So, I didn't pay attention to it. It still doesn't make sense to me."

"A _red_ goat?" Lester asked. Beth shrugged.

"Whoa…wait a minute," Morelli interjected. "A red goat? Did he mean a GTO?" Bobby straightened up. He had a GTO that he was working in restoring. Beth's eyes widened.

"Is that a car?" Most of the men nodded. "Tommy loves cars. Maybe _that's_ what he was talking about."

"One of the neighbors told me he'd seen a red GTO in the driveway a few times," Morelli told them. "The house had been on the market for a long time, so he just assumed it was the realtor or something."

"He said they took her to New York?" Ranger asked. Beth nodded again. He turned to Morelli. "New York plates?"

"Would it be okay if I talk to Tommy?" Morelli asked Beth.

"Of course. He's with my father at the garage. Do you want to talk to him now?"

"Yeah," Morelli replied. He looked to Ranger.

"Lester, go with them. I'm going to call Durrer with this and find out what's happening with Orr," Ranger ordered. Lester immediately jumped up to join them.

"We'll take my car," Morelli said as they headed to the garage.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Durrer scribbled down the information about Dr James. "We're almost done with Orr. He's willing to give everyone up for full immunity. I hate to give that prick anything, but it might be all we've got. Can you come down here later? We'll discuss a game plan," Durrer told him.

"We'll be there." Ranger disconnected. It didn't come as a surprise to anyone that the little weasel would roll over on his partners. Anyone who was capable of doing what he did to Stephanie only had loyalty to himself. It didn't matter if Orr got to skate. Ranger would make sure he would get what was coming to him after Stephanie was back safe and sound.

A guard that Stephanie had never seen before came to escort her to one of the bathrooms upstairs. She hadn't been able to shower since she had been abducted. Not only did she feel gross and her hair matted with her own blood, but she was now covered in Dan's blood, too. He supported her by the arm…none too gently…as she hobbled up the stairs. It was a very small bathroom…pedestal sink, toilet, and shower stall. Towels and clean clothes had been set out for her on the small wicker shelf. The man nodded and closed the door behind him. She spied a new toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant on the sink as well. They provided her with a simple pair of light blue terry-cloth, drawstring pants, a white tank top, and matching terry-cloth zip jacket. They also left plain white cotton panties but no bra. She guessed it didn't matter. At least they were clean and comfortable clothes. Glancing nervously back at the door, she didn't see a lock. She hated the idea of being naked and vulnerable in the shower, but needed one desperately. Sighing and rubbed her face in her hands, she caved and began to undress.

The shower felt heavenly. The water washed away the horror from the night before. In all the movies she had seen, still could not have prepared her to see a person's head explode like that. If he hadn't been trying to help her, they wouldn't have killed him. _Shit_. Everything she got involved in just turned to shit. Why _would_ Ranger want to be stuck with someone like her? She wished she could just go back to her own apartment, bury herself under the covers, and sleep her life away. Okay, she mentally yelled at herself again, enough with the pity party. You have to keep it together and figure a way out of here yourself. No one is coming for you. The twins are depending on you. So, snap out of it! Hmm? Maybe if she showed them she was cooperating, they would let her outside? If she could get her hands on that phone, she could call for help. She still didn't know where she was. But, if she was able to stay on the phone long enough, Ranger could get a location on her. That, or she could just call 911. They might be able to use the GPS on the phone to find her. She at least had to try. The water began to cool. She finished rinsing away the last of the soap and turned off the faucet. After wringing the excess from her hair, she pulled the curtain open to reach for a towel. It was then she saw Khalid. The towels were on the floor by his feet. Her brain must have taken a temporary leave of absence because it suddenly hit her what he was doing.

Khalid sat on the toilet with his pants undone. He was slowly stroking himself while his eyes violated her body. Stephanie snapped to attention and covered herself with the shower curtain. It was fairly transparent, but still gave her some sense of dignity and protection. "Get out!" His lips just turned up in an evil sneer as he continued to pleasure himself. He closed his eyes as his body jerked. Grunting, he relieved himself on her towel. Now with a satisfied smile, he rose without tucking himself back in his pants and sauntered over to her. She backed up till she hit the corner of the shower. He tore the curtain from her body and off the rod. He pressed his body up against hers, feeling him on her hip. The tears poured down her face as she let out of sob.

"I can't fuck you yet, Stephanie," he hissed. "But, once they take those brats, I'm gonna have a good time with you." He grabbed her hair and jerked back her head to look her in the eye. "Count on it." With his other hand, he painfully squeezed her right breast till she cried out in pain. He ran his tongue along the side of her face before letting go. He smiled again as he stepped back and zipped up his pants. "Get dressed. You have 10 minutes to finish up here. Otherwise, I'll drag you back to your room the way you are." His eyes disturbingly scanned her body one last time before closing the door behind him.

Stephanie picked up a corner of the defiled towel and tossed it aside. She quickly dried off with the smaller towel as fast as her shaking hands would allow. She pulled the tank over her head and jammed her legs into the panties and pants. She had a hard time tying the drawstring and brushing her teeth because she couldn't stop trembling. She swiped the deodorant under her arms and put on the jacket. Using the same towel, she dried off her hair. Her mind raced. She was shocked, horrified, terrified, and angered all at the same time. She felt totally violated. Her tender breast throbbed. She pulled back the jacket and tank to exam herself. Angry red marks that looked like fingers would probably turn to a bruise in a little while. It was starting to sink in that Khalid truly intended to rape her. That thought frightened her…and pissed her off at the same time. She had always held the belief that someone would have to rape her dead body. Because as long as she had breath in her body, she would fight him to the death. But now what? They made their plans clear that they wanted to sell all three of them. But, could she take six months of this torture? Only to never have her children anyway? This was worse than the time MacGregor kidnapped her. Despite that fact that she was drugged most of the time, it was just her. She wasn't alone now. It was like a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from…and, she was wide awake for every moment of it. She had to figure a way to get to that phone. But how?

Although it was against his better judgment, Ranger agreed to let Frank join the meeting set up with the FBI that evening. Stephanie's disappearance was tearing him apart, so he could only imagine what it was doing to her father. Ranger, Raoul, Frank, and his core team, along with Morelli and Chief Juniak filed into a huge conference room down at the FBI office. Dickie Orr sat with his attorney at one end of the long table. He stiffened then whispered something to his attorney when he saw Frank Plum, his ex-father-in-law. Ranger noticed that Morelli kept his distance from Orr as well.

"Okay," Durrer began, "as most of you already know, Mr. Orr has agreed to fully cooperate with this investigation. He has given us crucial information into this world wide operation in human trafficking. Mr. Orr's part has been to set up meetings for potential clients looking to purchase black market babies." Ranger could feel the weight of Tank's stare to gauge his self control. He met Tank's stare to show that he was in control. Now was not the time to lose his temper. Now was the time to do whatever he had to do to get Stephanie back. He thought back to when he told Stephanie that she had to do whatever it takes to protect herself and the baby. Now, it was his turn. "Mr. Orr also took care of reimbursements to local professionals for their services, as well as handling birth certificates and passports. Loethar Henried, AKA Leonard Hanson, AKA Lars Hedrickson, whose real name is still unknown, is one of the main players in this ring. He handles the recruiting of the women for sale as well as the pregnant women. There are others that get directly involved in selling the woman as sex slaves. We're going to work the baby angle. The people looking for babies are very wealthy, unable or unwilling to have children on their own. Because of the price tag, sometimes they obtain women with similar ethnic backgrounds and match them with a male counterpart to create a _custom_ baby. This way, it's difficult to tell that they adopted…well purchased…their baby. Mr. Orr insists he knew nothing of what happened to the mothers after they gave birth. It wasn't until the Summers' girl's body was found that he was aware."

"Why didn't you report it?" Chief Juniak demanded. Dickie smirked.

"Oh yeah…right! And _what_ was I going to tell you? Oh…the people I am in association with killed the girl whose baby they were going to sell? Were you sniffing glue? Lucky for them that doctor was able to switch the dead baby for a live one." He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Then…that dumb cunt ex-wife of mine confronts me with that account….." Ranger felt Tank's hand firmly on his shoulder. But, no one was holding down Frank Plum. He lunged for Dickie.

"You sorry excuse for a man!" Morelli and Lester grabbed him before Frank could get his hands around Dickie's neck. "I should have taken care of you a long time ago for what you did to my Stephanie!"

"Get this loser out of here!" Dickie demanded. Ranger put his arm around Frank and walked him out.

"I want to kill him, too. But, we need him to help Stephanie right now," Ranger calmly explained. "Don't worry, Frank. That piece of shit will get his when this is all over." Frank nodded.

"I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have come. I don't want to interfere," Frank apologized. Raoul joined them in the hallway.

"Everything okay, Carlos?" Ranger nodded. Frank sighed.

"I'm going to wait out here," he decided. "You can fill me in. I know this is about my baby, but I can't stand to look at that sorry son of a bitch. I'll just be a distraction." Ranger smirked. That son of a bitch didn't know just how sorry he was going to be when this was over.

Ranger and Raoul returned to their seats. Dickie gave Ranger a smug look. But, it was Dickie who nervously looked away after getting Ranger's death glare in return. "Okay," Durrer continued. "We've also been told that he's preparing to open another shop, but its whereabouts is unknown. There is a mansion somewhere that houses the girls…nicknamed _the Stable_. We're assuming that Miss Plum was taken there."

"Do you know how to get in touch with him?" Morelli asked Dickie. Dickie looked to Durrer.

"Part of the deal is for Mr. Orr to assist us with making contact with Henried. He already has meetings set up with a few of his clients to talk to Henried about purchasing babies. I have copies of the files on these couples. There is a meeting in 2 weeks…"

"2 weeks?" Ranger interrupted incredulously. "That's too far away. Can you get the meeting moved up?"

"Can you _fry_ a banana?" Dickie taunted. "Of course I can _try_…but don't you think it will look suspicious? I thought you were supposed to be this smart _security_ man, Manoso. You're just as stupid as my ex!"

"Mr. Orr, we would appreciate you keeping the personal attacks to yourself. And, remember that your freedom is also based on the outcome of this investigation." Durrer walked around the table and stopped right in front of him. "So, let's be clear. You help us to find Stephanie Plum and take down this ring, and you will walk. But, if you do anything to hinder this investigation, not only are you on your own, but you will have some very powerful enemies on both sides. And…I'll charge you for interfering with a Federal investigation in addition to everything else."

"I think we are all on the same page. You will have Mr. Orr's full cooperation," his attorney told them. Durrer nodded.

"Good. You said the earliest appointment you had was the couple from Canada. But, what about this couple? Their appointment is in a week." Durrer thumbed through the file.

"Well, they are a very…uh…_special_ couple. The woman…if you want to call _it_ that…can't have children. It's a post op transsexual. They're from Spain. The man is from Germany, but _it's_ from Columbia. They can't seem to adopt through the normal channels. Probably because they're freaks." Ranger closed his eyes and sighed. They all laughed at Lester for dressing in drag. Ranger swore he would never do it himself. But, he would do anything for Stephanie. He knew he could never go in there posing as the husband. He wasn't sure how much information Henried had on him. He could go in there in drag, and not compromise the mission.

"We'll go in undercover," Ranger told them. "I'll pose as the wife. I want to be the one to go in, but we can't risk me being recognized." Tank gave him a sideways glance. "If this doesn't work, we can have another team pose as the next couple. How does this meeting work?"

"Uh…the couple gets interviewed to find out what they're looking for. What their time frame is. Boy or girl…that sort of thing. Their background and financial checks were already done by me. Sometimes, he shows pictures of what he's got in the stable. But, most times, the couples want to meet the mother in person. Since these people are paying anywhere from 150k on up, he tries to be accommodating," Dickie explained.

"Do you attend this meeting?" Tank asked. Dickie shrugged.

"Rarely. I don't think it would be a good idea for me to be included in this meeting," Dickie suggested. "I don't think it would go over too well if that duh…uh…if she sees me." That would definitely be an understatement. Morelli looked through the file.

"Can you try to push up the meeting? I mean, these people run a porn empire. Can't you say that they had to move up their trip and were wondering if he could meet them sooner? Act like it's no big deal. If not, they'll keep the appointment they already have. It doesn't hurt to try," Morelli offered. All eyes focused on Orr.

"Well….I _suppose_ I could try that. I have had to change around appointments in the past, so he might not get suspicious," Dickie finally agreed. "I'll just ask if he has anything sooner. If I ask for a certain day, he will think something's going on."

"We'll need the flight information on this couple in case we have to detain them," Dani said. The meeting adjourned, and the agents took Dickie back to his cell. "We've got surveillance on Dr James. I don't think bringing her in would the smart thing to do right now. We don't want to tip them off that we're on to them." Morelli agreed.

"So," Morelli began, "what's the next step?"

"I think everyone needs to take the night off," Ranger told them. "Get some rest. We'll start fresh with working on the game plan in the morning. The Feds will have Orr call to try to reschedule. Once we have the exact date, time, and location, we can finalize everything. Till then, we have to work on our cover."

Ranger headed straight to his office upon returning to Rangeman. He wanted to study the file in depth. Raoul and Tank followed him. "You're actually going to dress up as a woman?" Tank asked.

"I'd actually have a _sex change_ if I thoughtit would bring Stephanie back to me," Ranger responded without even looking up from the file. "Durrer might have someone to use for the husband. I'm not sure which of you have been seen. I'm thinking that we could bring Mac down here. He's fair skinned and has blue eyes like this guy. And, he's half German. He'll let me know by morning." Ella appeared in the door. The men looked up.

"I'm sorry to interrupt. I have dinner here. Would you like me to set it up in the break room?" Ranger was just about to decline, but Raoul took charge.

"We'll eat in here, Ella, if you don't mind." Ranger raised an eyebrow. "Don't make me call Mama." Ranger groaned, but accepted his dinner plate from Ella. "Besides, I've seen Stephanie in action. She's got one helluva _mean_ left hook. She wouldn't be too happy with us if we weren't looking out for you." Tank snorted as he took his tray. Raoul placed his on the other corner of the desk.

"Can I get anyone anything else?" Ella asked. Ranger noticed for the first time how drawn she looked with bags under her eyes. He had been so wrapped up in his own misery that he temporarily forgot how Ella regarded Stephanie like her own daughter. Ella had also been working non-stop trying to take care of all of them. And, seeing him drowned his sorrows with a bottle the night before probably didn't make it any easier for her.

"No thank you, Ella. Why don't you call it an early night? You've been working as hard as the rest of us," Ranger suggested.

"I just can't sit by and do nothing. It's easier to keep busy. I'll just take Ivy out…."

"We've got that part covered," Zip interrupted. "For those of us stuck on monitor duty, it gives us a way to do something for Steph." Ella's eyes welled.

"S-sorry," she cried. "I can't help it. What if she's been sick again? Is she able to keep anything down? Are they treating her okay?" Ranger jumped up to comfort her, but Raoul was quicker.

"It's alright, Ella. We're all thinking the same thing. We just have to think positive. Everyone is doing everything they can," Raoul explained.

"We've got some good leads today. We hope to find her and bring her back home soon. You'll be making her chocolate cake again before you know it," Ranger added. Raoul walked Ella up to 6. Ranger flopped back into his chair. "They just better _hope_ they are treating her well, Tank. We're used to taking people out…not bringing people in. If Stephanie is hurt, I have no problem being judge, jury, and executioner." Tank nodded while swallowing what was in his mouth.

"I'm right behind you, Carlos." Again, Ranger raised an eyebrow.

"What's with you calling me, _Carlos_, all of a sudden?" Tank smirked.

"Because that's who I see now." He took a drink from the bottle of water. "It's been a long time since you let him come out and play. Shit, I might not have changed my name, but after all the deprogramming and getting back to normal life after the Army, I became Pierre again. The Army has a way of fucking with who you really are. They _want_ us to be machines. We're _not_ machines, we're ordinary people. Well, not ordinary…we can still kick ass and take names." Ranger sighed.

"So…I _can't_ call you, Pierre? Even when you call me, Carlos?" Tank chuckled.

"Not if you want to live."

_He watched as a faceless man took her from behind as she cried for his help. He had been contained somehow and couldn't move. The rage inside began to build as he struggled against the unseen restraints. Listening to her call his name tore at his heart. When the man was finished, he repeatedly kicked her. She tried unsuccessfully to fend off the blows with her arms. Her cries turned to whimpers…begging her assailant for mercy. By the time Ranger was able to free himself, she was curled up in a ball, writhing in pain as blood gushed from between her legs. He covered her with a blanket, and tried to pick her up when a tiny dead baby fell on the floor._

Once again, Ranger woke with a start and covered in sweat. Another fucking bad dream. He decided to sleep in the apartment again that night, but on the couch. He just couldn't sleep in their bed. Not without Stephanie in it. This dream was just as bad as the last one. He dreamt that Stephanie was beaten and raped till she lost the babies. Christ! The unknown was driving him crazy. He sat on the edge of the couch with his face buried into his hands. This time he couldn't hold them back anymore. A few tears rolled down his face. The bottle of Mescal came to mind. No, he couldn't do that. What if she tried to call him again? He needed to be one hundred percent for her. He was not going to fail her again. He got up and grabbed a bottle of water.

The anxious rush that had flooded his body was raging. Fuck it. He needed to walk around. He was unable to sit still. He downed the rest of the water, washed his face, and got dressed. He began to head for the door but stopped when an idea came to mind. He removed the engagement ring from its black velvet box. He picked up the pink tourmaline heart pendant from the coffee table and went back to the closet. He didn't wear much jewelry, but he did have a thin gold chain. He looped the chain through the bail on the pendant and through the ring. He clasped the chain behind his neck and tucked it into his shirt. It was kind of stupid, but they were _hers_. He wanted to be closer to her, and this was the only way he could think of to do it. He checked in on 5. Ivy had been sleeping under Stephanie's desk but appeared to have sensed his presence. That's when he noticed the Swear Jar on Val's desk. It had been taped and glued back together…and not very well either. It was stuffed with bills and change. He sighed. They could deal with that stupid thing after he got Stephanie back. Ivy dutifully followed him around office. Ranger went to the garage next. The #2 mobile sat between his Porsche and his truck. Despite everything that had happened, he still hated looking at that piece of shit. But somehow, he couldn't bring himself to get rid of it. Not yet anyway. The damage to the Porsche wasn't all that bad. Once it was repaired, no one would be able to tell it was hit. He didn't know why, but he found himself getting behind the wheel of the #2 mobile. What the hell was that smell? Christ! How could she stand it? In spite of it all, he felt close to her. Surprisingly, an hour flew by. He slid out of the car and closed the door behind him. A small chunk of rust broke off and disintegrated on the cement. He sighed and turned towards the elevator. Stealing one last look at the cars, Ranger headed back upstairs. Raoul was right about one thing. Having someone to come home to made all the difference in the world. His building, his office, his apartment, his vehicles meant nothing to him without Stephanie there.

Stephanie felt like she was floating in a raft on the choppy seas. Seasickness overwhelmed her. Please make it stop, she groaned. She became aware that she was slowly coming out of a deep sleep. The morning sickness had once again returned. Scrambling across the room on hands and knees, she flipped open the camping toilet and emptied her stomach. After a few minutes, she sensed that she wasn't alone. It was Khalid. "This time, I'll give you the choice," he told her flatly. "Do you want the shot…or the suppository?" She turned to look up at the stone like face. There was no way in hell she would pick the suppository. She knew he would be the one to insert it. She wasn't exactly a fan of the shot either. Not only did it hurt and burn for a while, but she would have to drop her pants to get it. The shot was the lesser of the two evils.

"I'll be okay. I don't think I…."

"The shot…or the suppository, Stephanie," he taunted.

"Shot," she whispered. He grabbed her by the arm and yanked her to her feet. She untied the drawstring and exposed as little as possible. She felt the cool alcohol swab against her skin. She slowly let out her breath as she prepared herself, but hissed as she felt the sting of the needle. He slid his hand down into her pants, squeezed and massaged her cheek, while he injected the Phenergan. Stephanie tensed, making the shot more uncomfortable, but trying to not move at the same time. She was afraid that the needle would break and get stuck inside her. As soon as he removed the needle, she pulled away from his grasp and retied her pants.

"Now that wasn't so bad now…was it?" He took a step towards her. Backing away, she lost her balance and fell on her butt. She wasn't able to put full pressure on her ankle yet. "You're afraid of me. That's good. You should be." He gave that evil sneer before he gathered the items and returned them to the med kit. "I'll have someone bring you breakfast in a little while. We'll give that medicine time to work. Maybe by then, you'll be a little more…friendly." Stephanie didn't move until he left. She rubbed the burning pain as she climbed back onto her cot. She never thought she would miss her morning routine with Ranger. She missed how he took care of her, made her tea, just all and all provided her comfort. She loved Ranger and wanted to be with him. The fact that he thought of her as just another obligation was heartbreaking. But, she still loved him, and would give anything to be with him. How pathetic was that? She was willing to beg a man, who felt like he was stuck with her, to take her back because she loved him. She wanted to cry, but nothing would fall. Trying to fight the sleepiness was a losing battle. She decided she would try to get outside when she woke up, and try to get her hands on that cell phone.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Ella had been setting out breakfast for two while Ranger finished getting dressed. "For you and Raoul," she explained as he entered the kitchen with raised eyebrows. "He said he would join you for breakfast." Ranger nodded.

"Thank you, Ella," he told her. "For everything. I don't think I say it enough." He pulled her to him as she cried. "We'll get her back, Ella." She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand.

"It's not the same here without her," she whispered. God, wasn't that the truth!

"I know," Ranger agreed. Raoul left himself in. Ella collected herself.

"Just let me know if you need anything. I'll take Ivy downstairs with me." She fed Ivy a _Beggin' Strip_ {A/N: my dogs love those. And Snausages and Scooby Snacks. Then again, they loved to eat cat turds out of the litter box!} and led her to the door. Raoul sat at the counter and stared.

"What?" Ranger finally asked as he poured them coffee.

"You didn't sleep last night…did you? You look like hell." Ranger shrugged. He placed a mug in front of Raoul and sat on the stool next to him.

"Tried." He dug into his egg white omelet. He felt Raoul's continued stare. "I didn't reach for the bottle…if that's what you're wondering." Raoul smirked.

"I was actually," he told him. "I'm concerned about you, little brother."

"Rao…" Raoul cut him off.

"I don't think you are crazy, Carlos. I don't think you are weak. And, I don't think that you can't handle this situation. You have been to hell and back recently. Both of you have. This situation is a lot to deal with. You're hurting, and it's killing me that I can't fix this," Raoul explained. He leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee. "You always had a knack for getting yourself in deep. Leave it to you to find the one person who could get in deeper." Ranger sighed and pushed the plate away before he finished.

"Last night…." He swallowed hard. "I dreamed that she was raped. I couldn't move…or help her. She was screaming for me….and, all I could do was watch. Then that mother fucker kicked her…over and over again. When I picked her up she was bleeding and….." He rubbed his face with his hands. "And a dead baby dropped onto the floor. Shit, it seemed so real." Damn it. His eyes began to leak. Not now! Not in front of his brother. Shit! He felt Raoul's arms surround him.

"Let it out, Carlos," Raoul told him softly. "It's going to eat you up inside if you don't." He did. He cried for Stephanie. He cried for the twins. He cried for the men he lost in the crash. And, he cried for all the pain that he locked up inside him. It was if the flood gates opened, and he was unable to stop it.

The clang of the metal, makeshift cell door awakened Stephanie. It wasn't Khalid…thank God. She didn't know this one's name, and he wasn't exactly friendly, but at least he didn't go out of his way to be mean to her. She immediately sat up, drawing her knees to her chin, then hissed at the sharp twinge of the injection site. "Here." He sat a small tray on the end of the cot. "If you feel up to it after breakfast, you'll be able to sit in the back yard for a while." She perked up. "But you better not try anything," he warned. "You'll never see daylight again if you try to escape."

"Gee…now _why_ would I want to do that?" she muttered before she could stop herself. One of these days, she was really going to have to work on holding back the sarcastic comments.

"Khalid's already got the love Jones for you. He's a real sick fuck. The last girl he had a hard on for wound up dead." He turned to leave. "He's been warned not to touch you, but…." He dropped his head and sighed. "Like I said…he's sick. Try not to piss him off and make it worse for yourself."

"Okay," Stephanie replied softly.

"I'll be back in a little bit to take you out." She pulled the tray towards her. She was starving. At least they had been providing her with decent food. Eggs, bacon, toast, cereal, milk, and fruit. With the exception of the bacon and eggs, it would have been a Ranger-approved breakfast. She ate with gusto. Even though she hated taking it here, the Phenergan really helped. She just couldn't believe her luck! She didn't know how closely she would be watched, but at least she had a chance to get at that phone. Would Inga be out there? How many others were there? This was totally insane. How could something like this exist? It was like plot from a Lifetime movie.

Her thoughts turned to Khalid. Not only was she terrified of him, but it seemed like everyone else was too. So, that meant that she would get no help from any of the guards. They were too afraid to cross him. Not good.

If it had been anyone but his brother, Ranger would have been humiliated by his display of weakness. But one thing was for sure, he could not deny it was what he needed. What a _tremendous_ release that was. The feelings of oppression, uncertainty, guilt, anger, fear, sadness…all of it…just seemed to flow from his soul. It was like an emotional enema. It dawned on him that he had been getting some emotional release through making love to Stephanie. It had been a couple of weeks since they were last together. Tank called to let them know that Morelli was there, and Durrer would be over after Orr made the call to reschedule the meeting. He washed his face in cool water. There wasn't much he could do about his red-rimmed eyes. The lack of sleep and crying saw to that. But, he felt…lighter. Each time he let his feelings out, instead of burying them deep inside, it gave him a weird sense of freedom. Like his feelings had been holding him hostage, and confronting them had liberated him. Now to focus on the goal again.

Before the meeting could start, Durrer called to say that Orr was able to get a meeting in Hartford, Connecticut for the day after tomorrow. He got the okay from his superiors that Rangeman could use their own people, but they would have to wear wires. Durrer and his partner would be there as soon as they could. Ranger disconnected. "We got it pushed up to Saturday. We can use Mac," Ranger told them. He excused himself to his office with Tank and Raoul hot on his heels. He put in a call to Mac. "I need you to get down here on the next flight."

"Did you find Steph?" Mac asked.

"We think so. I need to you be my German husband." Ranger held the phone away from his ear as Mac howled into the receiver. Tank and Raoul exchanged smiles.

"Are you shittin' me?"

"No, Mac…I'm not _shitting_ you. Just get down here, and I'll explain everything." Ranger disconnected. Ranger looked back and forth between his brother and best friend. He could tell they were trying not to laugh. With Stephanie in trouble, there hadn't been anything to laugh at. But, that wouldn't have stopped her. Stephanie would have laughed if something struck her funny…no matter how inappropriate. Ranger smirked. "It's okay to laugh. If she knew I was going to dress in drag with Mac as my husband, _she_ would laugh." Tank smiled.

"Shit, if this wasn't so serious, I think I'd piss myself from laughing so hard seeing you in a dress," Tank told them. They snickered. "I mean, Santos does have nice legs, but you have a better ass."

"You're lucky that I need you right now, Tank," Ranger growled. "Otherwise, I'd kick _your_ ass." Tank smirked.

"After this is over, I'm going to kick your ass for that fuckin' Swear Jar," Tank mumbled. Ranger rolled his eyes.

"I think I'm going to _let_ you kick my ass for that one," he agreed. "Come on. Let's get planning this thing."

Stephanie had to shield her eyes at first. She hadn't seen daylight in almost a week. He took her out the back way through the exterior basement steps. The house itself was huge. Trees lined the perimeter of a spacious yard. Near the tree line towards the back sat an in-ground pool and a guest house. There were a few lounge chairs, patio chairs, and tables set up in the yard. One table appeared to have drinks and snacks. In Stephanie's estimation, there were about ten girls already out there, dressed in similar sportswear. They all looked very young. All eyes were upon her as she approached them. "Like I said, don't do anything stupid." She nodded in acknowledgment. She looked around again and noticed there were a few guards watching the yard. Even if she did try to make a break for it, she wouldn't get far on this bad ankle. She limped over to the group that was raiding the refreshment table.

"Hi," she said to them. A couple of girls nodded, but the rest ignored her. "I'm Stephanie. Do you know who Inga is?" A young and attractive, pregnant blonde girl, who looked about ready to deliver, pointed to another group sitting in the lounge chairs. Stephanie grabbed a bottle of water and limped over to Inga. The closer she got, she was able to pick her out from the photos she had seen. The three girls looked up as Stephanie approached. "Inga?" The girl's eyes widened.

"Are you Stephanie Plum?" she asked nervously. "I'm _so_ sorry! They _made_ me call you! I didn't do it on purpose!" Stephanie waved her off.

"I know you didn't. I'm not angry with you. Are you okay?" Inga looked down and rubbed her protruding little belly.

"I'm okay." She moved her legs to straddle the lounger to allow Stephanie to sit. "I'm sorry I got you involved in this. I thought he loved me. He made me believe we were going to be a family. I was so stupid." Stephanie put a hand on her leg.

"It wasn't your fault, Inga. Believe it or not, you father is worried about you. He hired us to find you." She shook her head.

"I wish I could believe that. He's never around. All he cares about is work."

"Not everyone knows how to express his feelings, Inga. We've got a lot in common. My mother and I didn't have the greatest relationship either. When we get outta here, we can trade war stories. But right now, I need some help. The guard they shot the other day handed me his cell phone. I left a message for my…." She started to say fiancé, but since she gave him the ring back, she corrected herself. "…boyfriend but tossed it in the bushes. I need you guys to cause a distraction or something. I'll see if it's still there, and try to call for help." All the girls perked up.

"You can get us out of here?" a petite Asian girl asked her.

"I'll try." The red headed girl leaned forward.

"I have asthma. I can pretend that I'm having an asthma attack. Would that work?" Stephanie nodded.

"I'm just going to stroll around the yard. I think the phone is on that side of the house," Stephanie whispered as she tilted her head towards the far side of the mansion. "Wait till I am right there. I only need a few minutes. They could have found it. The battery could be dead. I just don't know." Stephanie got up and sipped her drink as she causally hobbled around the yard. She noticed one of the guards following her. She feigned interest in the various bushes along the way. She turned to him. "Hey…is this a…." She searched her brain for the name of a bush…any bush. "um…lilac bush?" She pointed to the juniper bush. The guard shrugged. "I'm a…um…a plantophile. You know…someone who is into leaves." She bit her lower lip. "The more I look at this, I think it's really a…um…azalea or something." She looked at the bushes on the side of the house. "Is it okay if I look at those?" He nodded and walked off. Truthfully, she couldn't tell a lilac from an azalea to a marijuana plant. Well, she might recognize the pot plant. She continued to the side of the house and pretended to examine the bushes. She heard the commotion in the yard. The red headed girl, Lisa, was coughing and convulsing on the ground. She found the phone under the third bush. She dialed Ranger's number, but the digital voice informed her that she needed to call customer service and provide a credit card to load more minutes. Shit…shit …shit….damn it all to hell! Then, she remembered that a person can call 911 from any cell phone. That was the one number that cannot be blocked. She hoped that 911 center had the capability to track the GPS on this phone.

"911…what is your emergency." The guards were rounding everyone up to keep all the girls contained while they attended to Lisa. Stephanie tried to disconnect the call and tossed the phone back into the bush. She figured she could try it again, but didn't want them to discover the phone. Stephanie didn't realize that the line was left open.

Mac called back to let them know he was driving down. The earliest flight available was 6PM. He could make the drive in less than four hours and be there around 1PM. Raoul had gotten a call from a friend with the Newark PD. A body was found behind a warehouse in a red GTO. GSW(gunshot wound for those not EMS or ER savvy) to the head. There was no ID on the body, but the car was registered to Daniel Lawrence. Ex-Army Ranger. Raoul covered the mouth piece of his phone. "Did you know a Daniel Lawrence?" Ranger thought for a minute.

"Name sounds familiar. Why?" Raoul held up his index finger and finished his conversation. Lester frowned.

"I think we had a guy in our unit named Dan Lawrence," he said. "He came in just before most of us got out." Ranger turned to Hector.

"Run a check on him." Hector opened up his laptop. Raoul disconnected the call. "What's up?"

"I had called my friend, Manny, about this case and asked him about the GTO. The body hasn't been identified yet, but the car is registered to this Lawrence guy. I know this could be some huge coincidence but…" Raoul trailed off. Yeah…right…coincidence. A red GTO was seen in the driveway of a house that Stephanie's necklace was found. Then, it just so happened that a dead body was found inside one after she leaves a voice mail where a gunshot was heard. And because this involved Stephanie, just about anything could be possible.

"Do you think that he let her use his phone? And, they shot him?" Bobby wondered. Hector connected his laptop to the projector. He showed everyone Dan's driver's license.

"Shit," Ranger muttered. He _did_ recognize him. What the hell was he doing mixed up with this scum?

"I'm running his credit cards to see if that was his phone. But check this out," Hector told them. "His younger sister is missing. File is still open. She was never found."

"He must have overheard who Steph was. Maybe he tried to help her and got caught," Lester added.

"His sister's name is Amanda," Hector continued. "Last seen in Philly."

"He was probably trying to find her," Tank said. "Hopefully, we'll finish the job for him."

After the team was fully assembled, it was decided that Ranger and Mac would go in wearing wires as Mark and Araceli Bauer. They were meeting with Henried at the Hyatt in Hartford. Valerie made the reservations for their rooms as well as the team. They knew this was a first meeting, and they might not be able to see any of the girls. It was decided to address it during the meeting. Care had to be taken to avoid suspicion. Stephanie wasn't due till October. Another angle to work in was asking about women for sale. They were always looking for new talent for their hardcore films. The game plan was to make an offer to buy Stephanie now. They would pay top dollar for her and the babies. Since their offer would have to be negotiated and the fee paid, Ranger would slip a GPS tracker to Stephanie. This would help them to find the location of the Stable. Another hope would be that they stored the records of the women and children they have sold at that secret location. Taking this ring down was the easy part. Putting together a case and having a jury convict them was something else.

"So…," Mac began after the strategy part of the meeting concluded, "are you gonna let me be on top?" Ranger shook his head. There were some snickers. Lester leaned over and put his arm around Ranger's shoulders.

"You can borrow my boobs and my green dress, but you can't have my wig or panties." The room exploded in laughter. "I just don't picture you as a red head." Raoul furrowed his brow.

"Uh…I guess I missed something here," Raoul muttered. Ranger dropped his head against the back of the chair and groaned. "Is there something you want to tell me, Santos?"

"He's right though," Hector said. "You are _so _not a red head." Hector pulled up the security camera shots of _Leslee_ and Ranger in the elevator. More laughter. Raoul grinned from ear to ear. Because of the release that Ranger felt this morning, and how much it was needed, he allowed the goofing around to continue.

"Okay. Those that are coming to Hartford, finish up here and get your gear ready. We leave at oh-600." Ranger got up, stood behind Lester, and sighed. "Come on, _Leslee_. Show me what you have."

Stephanie was sitting on her cot with her back to the wall. It was getting close to dinner time. She assumed that the phone wasn't discovered because no one said anything. At least she hoped it wasn't found. Time seemed to drag. No TV. No radio. Nothing to read. Just time. Time to think about her life. If she got out of this, she was going to have a long talk with Ranger. She loved him and wanted him in her life. But, she didn't want him to feel trapped. Rena's comment about him marrying all the girls he got pregnant came to mind. So did Ranger's own words. Hearing the words coming out of his mouth was what hurt the most. But, it just didn't add up. He said he bought that ring while they were in Miami. That was _before_ she got pregnant. It _was_ in his safe. She had been with him constantly since he returned from North Carolina. Although she didn't know how much it cost, she could tell that ring was expensive. Would he spend that kind of money on a ring for someone that he thought of as an obligation? He seemed so sincere. Yeah, he lied about the car. But, it was for _her_ good…not _his_. Then, there was the Jeanne Ellen factor. In her recent experience, whenever Jeanne Ellen was involved, there was nothing but major bullshit and backstabbing. Ranger said she lied about it. Did that bitch tell him she was pregnant with his baby? Stephanie gave Ranger an out, and he didn't want it. That said something. And, if that was the case, he would be looking for her. He would move heaven and earth to get to her. She needed to stay strong.

She was drawn out of her thoughts by the gate opening. Khalid. He looked pissed. Without saying a word, he yanked her to her feet and slammed her into the adjacent wall. He pressed his body up against hers. "You think you are so smart…don't you?" He fisted his hand in her hair and banged her face into the cinderblock. "Don't you?"

"W-what are you talking about?" The other hand reached around and palmed her breast. Gripped with fear, she went blank.

"The phone, Stephanie." He ground his pelvis into her backside and painfully squeezed her breast. She struggled to free herself, but he wrapped his arms around her holding her still. There was something vaguely familiar about the way he had her pinned. It finally clicked. This was one of the holds that Mac taught her to get out of. He began to grind against her again. "You have to be punished now." Fear was pushed aside, and anger took over. With a war cry that would have made all the Merry Men proud, she twisted her body and was able to swing her elbow back till it connected with his nose. She heard and felt a sickening crunch. "AAAHHHH!" he cried out in pain, let go and held his face. She tried to run but her ankle gave way, and she fell head long. "You fucking, bitch!" He turned and reached for her. Stephanie brought up her good foot and smashed him between the legs.

At this point, two more guards came after hearing the commotion. Khalid sunk to his knees, now holding his aching groin. The guards pulled her up by her arms and held her in place. "Try that again, and I'll kill you!" Stephanie warned. She spat in his face. Khalid was still trying to catch his breath as he cradled his injured crotch. The guards exchanged nervous glances. No one ever talked back to Khalid, no less attacked him.

Several minutes later, he slowly rose to his feet. When he looked at her this time, he didn't see fear. She was tougher than she looked. Arrogant little bitch. He backhanded her, splitting her lip with his signet ring. "Not the face! Henried warned you about that!" Khalid glared at him before turning to Stephanie.

"This isn't over, Stephanie. When I get back, you'll pay for this," he hissed while pointing to his nose. He roughly squeezed her breast again causing her to whimper. With a final sneer, he left.

"You better hope he calms down by the time he gets back," a guard told her. They let her go, and she flopped on to her cot. She tasted blood as it oozed from her lip. Looking down, she could see the swelling already. Her right cheek burned where the cinderblock scrapped her skin. Her breast throbbed again. Now, she would have a matched set of bruises. As the adrenaline rush of her anger began to ebb, the fear started to slowly creep back. The other guard examined her face.

"I'll bring you some ice." The left her cell and locked the door behind them. Stephanie overheard them talking about Khalid leaving to pick up some more girls. He mentioned the phone. Shit. They didn't frisk her on the way inside. She _should_ have taken the phone with her. Ranger and the Merry Men would have done that. She was going to have to start paying more attention when they taught her stuff. But, she remembered what Mac taught her, so there was hope for her after all. She couldn't lie. As scared as she was, it felt good to break that asshole's nose. And don't forget about smashing his nuts, too! _YES!_ She wasn't as weak and helpless as she thought….or as anyone else thought. But now what? The phone plan was gone. God only knows what Khalid was going to do to her when he got back. Nothing good…that was for sure. Those other girls were so young! Oh my God. And poor Inga! She just wanted someone to love her, and that scumbag took advantage. And got her pregnant! The guard was back. He had her dinner tray, an air cast for her ankle, and an ice pack.

"We called Henried to let him know what happened. But, he's been warned before. You broke his nose, and he is fuckin' pissed. Just a word to the wise, don't fight him next time. He _will_ kill you." Stephanie just nodded. She dabbed her napkin into the glass of water and tried to clean her lip and chin.

"Why do you do this?" she asked him softly.

"What?"

"Why do you do this?" She gestured around the room.

"The money is good. The job is easy."

"Kidnapping women and selling them and their babies is easy?" He shrugged.

"We all have to make a living somehow. Nothing personal, lady. It's just a job." He walked through the gate and locked it behind him. "I'll check on you later." She shouldn't have been so surprised. Even her own husband screwed her over for money. _Dickie_! That's why Omni was so familiar! It was related to that account she found with those millions of dollars in a Swiss bank. That jerk off was involved in this, too! Oh God, I hope Hector found that connection, she prayed to herself. She remembered the bad shoe karma on the shoes the Lula stole from Jeanne Ellen. Well, Dickie was going to discover what bad shoe karma was…right after she put on the ugliest shoes she owned and broke her foot off in his ass. That little prick! She had other words for him that would cost her at least $7.50 in the friggin' Swear Jar!

Sighing, she lifted the cover off her dish. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes with gray, and canned green beans. A slice of pound cake was off to the side. She had to cut it into tiny pieces to get it into the little slit of her mouth. Her bottom lip was still bleeding a little and throbbed. Chewing didn't help it, but she was hungry. Better to eat while she was hungry and knew the food would stay down. Maybe she should ask for a pill before she went to bed. Just in case. She needed to think of another plan. Hopefully, something that would get her out of there before Khalid came back. Even with renewed faith that Ranger really did love her and was looking for her, she sensed her time and luck were running out. She knew that it was Khalid that killed Marnie. And, she knew, from the bottom of her soul she knew, that she would next.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Ranger strode out of the bedroom in full drag. Ella helped him don Lester's green distraction dress, double D rack, and matching shoes. Ella picked up a long, curly, brown wig. It was the closest she could find to match the _real_ Araceli. His living room echoed with snickers, snorts, hollers, catcalls, and whistles. He closed his eyes and sighed. He knew he looked ridiculous. But, it didn't matter. He would do anything for Stephanie. "Did any of you see how fat Cher got?" Lester asked. "Ranger kinda looks like a fat Cher…on steroids." More howling.

"Damn," Mac added. "I married one _ugly_ bitch."

"Alright," Ranger huffed. "I know I look like an asshole, but will this pass?" Raoul swatted his behind.

"Just don't forget to shave," he joked. "Oh, Durrer called. He got that little weasel to call Henried back to see if you would be able to see any of the mothers, and he said yes. He's emailing pictures to him sometime tonight. Durrer will send us the photos."

"What if Steph's picture isn't there?" Tank asked. "What do we do then?" Ranger didn't want to go there. He returned to his room to change. Tank turned to Raoul. "But, what happens if they don't give us Bombshell as an option?" Raoul looked down and shrugged.

"Honestly? I don't know, Tank," Raoul conceded. "If we can find his new office, the FBI would have to send someone in undercover. Have them wired and hope they get taken so we can track them. But, that could take months. They don't _have_ months."

"They?" Lester asked. Raoul nodded.

"Carlos and Stephanie. His sanity's not going to last that long, and God only knows what they are doing to Stephanie." He let that disturbing revelation sink in for a moment. Hector barged in the apartment with his laptop.

"They sent 6 pictures," he breathed, out of breath from running up the stairs. "It's Bonita." He placed the laptop on the coffee table as they huddled around it.

"What the fuck?" Ranger growled. Her hair was unruly. Her lip was swollen and cut. There was a bruise on the right cheek. Her beautiful blue eyes were bloodshot and puffy. His fists were clenched and jaw set tight. He jumped up and paced the room like a caged tiger. He didn't expect to see a beauty shot, but he wasn't prepared to see her beautiful face damaged either. "I'll _fucking_ kill them!"

"Shit," Lester muttered as he studied her photo. While he was thrilled to confirm that she was still alive, the idea that she was being abused not only repulsed him, but filled him with rage. And, those were just the injuries they could see! Mac looked again at her picture.

"You'll need to get in line, Ranger," he stated. "If I see that mother fucker first, I'm not waiting." Lester and Hector exchanged glances. They were both thinking the same thing. It was only a few days ago that they were all laughing and joking about the trip to the vampire club. Tank still hadn't said a word. He was looking at his boots. Lester noticed that his hands were trembling. Not a good sign. Ranger had gotten himself back under control. He must have picked up that Tank was ready to erupt. Ranger put a hand on Tank's shoulder.

"I know how you feel," Ranger told him softly, trying to defuse him. "Save it for when we get our hands on this asshole." Tank curtly nodded.

"I'm tryin', man. I'm _really_ tryin'." Ranger squatted in front of him.

"It's still early. Go see, Lula, tonight. Boat leaves at oh-600." Tank looked up, and their eyes met. After a few seconds, Tank bowed his head. It was what he _wanted_ to do, but felt like he was betraying his best friend.

"What are you going to do?" Ranger slowly rose to his feet.

"I'm going to pack my stuff. Pack a bag for Stephanie. And, I'm going to go over the files. Then, I'm going to run through the drill over and over again before I get some sleep. As a matter of fact, why don't you all go out? Unwind. Blow off some steam. Get a good night's sleep. Stephanie is counting on all of us. We're not going to let her down." He turned and headed to the bedroom.

The FBI also arranged for the use of a conference room at the hotel. The meeting with Henried was set up for 10:30 the next morning. The group split into two teams. The Harford team consisted of Joe Durrer, four local FBI agents, Ranger, Tank, Mac, Lester, and Bobby. The Trenton team that was left behind was Raoul, Hector, Hal, Ram, Woody, Joe Morelli, and Dani Harris. Dickie Orr was also present for the teleconferences. The Trenton team would also be patched into the wire transmissions to listen to the meeting with Henried. Rangeman's involvement of the raid was to be limited. Durrer explained that Rangeman had no authority to arrest, detain, or participate in a Federal raid. Durrer had to have his superiors go to bat to even allow them to assist this much. Rangeman would be utilized to help recover the women being held prisoner. The FBI didn't want anything to interfere with the case against Henried or anyone else they managed to grab. Since Rangeman was a government contractor, the FBI _hired_ Rangeman to assist with victim recovery and evidence/information collection. Because it was for Stephanie and the only legal way to allow Ranger to be involved, the contract was pro bono.

It was finally Game Day. Stephanie's life was dependant upon everything running smoothly…everything going exactly according to the plan. Ranger and Mac were ready. Tank was helping them to get mic'd up. "You know…" Mac began, "You kind of _do_ look like a fat Cher." Tank snickered.

"And you look like Cousin Eddie from those Vacation movies wearing that ugly leisure suit and white shoes," Ranger retorted.

"At least I got to be the man," Mac muttered. The room's phone rang. Show time! Mac's mother was from Germany. Not only did he speak fluent German, he could do a very authentic German accent. "Bauer…. Okay, we'll be right down." He hung up the phone. "Henried is down in the lobby. He has a car waiting to take us the location of the meeting."

"It's not here?" Durrer asked.

"We'll go with it. I've got the GPS. How far is the range on these mics?" Ranger told him.

"Uh…they're supposed to work up to 5 miles. We might be screwed here," Durrer groaned.

"Have a car ready to follow with the relay for the mics. You can track us with the GPS if you start to lose the signal. Tank…have Lester and Bobby get on that," Ranger ordered. "Come on, Mac. Let's go."

Henried spotted the couple as soon as they got off the elevator. Christ! The man was a dork, and the wife was _hideous_! No wonder they couldn't get any agency to help them adopt! But, they had the money. That's all that mattered to him. "Mr. and Mrs. Bauer? I'm Loethar Henried." He shook Mac's hand, and then offered it to Ranger. He hissed from the pain of the tight grip from Mrs. Bauer. "Whoa…that's some strong hand shake you have there, Mrs. Bauer." Damn, this woman looked like a line backer. He read in the file that she just had a sex change a few years back. Maybe she should have stayed a man because she was one ugly woman.

"Lo siento, pendejo," Ranger said with a wide smile (I'm sorry, jerk off). Loethar frowned and turned to Mac.

"What did she say?" Mac smiled.

"She said it was very nice to meet you," Mac lied. It was decided that Araceli couldn't speak English and to let Mac do all the talking. Since Ranger wasn't a true transsexual and had not been on hormone shots, his deep voice wouldn't help the situation.

"Oh…well it's nice to finally meet you both. I was glad I was able to accommodate the schedule change. I know this is very important for you both." Ranger, Mac, and the team listening were shocked to hear the professional, salesman-like demeanor in Henried. Like he was selling them a new car or something. He escorted them to the limo. Ranger got in first, followed by Mac, then Henried. Ranger slouched in his seat with his legs open. Mac, biting back a smile, put his hand on Ranger's knee and guided his legs closed.

"Well, we had to changes our plans because of business. My wife was upset with me when she thought we'd have to postpone our meeting. She is desperate to have a child. I tried to appease her by getting her a poodle. But, it wasn't the same thing," Mac rambled on. Ranger shot him a pissy look. "I don't really care myself, but whatever makes my little Petunia happy, is fine with me." Petunia! The teams at the hotel and back in Trenton were rolling on the floor.

"Well, while were at it, are you looking for a boy or girl? Any particular race? Any particular feature?" Mac rattled off something that was supposed to be Spanish to Ranger. It was obvious that Henried didn't speak Spanish. Good thing. Mac actually said something about Paco's birthday party and his stereo not working.

"We were hoping for a Latino baby. Or, at least a Latino mix. We'd like for people to think my wife had the baby. Hopefully, we'd be able to buy one this year. If we know the time frame, she wants to pretend to get fat so people think she's pregnant." Henried frowned. These people were weirdoes.

"So, you don't have a rushed time frame?" Mac shook his head no. "Well, I might have something for you. As it turns out, the mother is white and the father is Puerto Rican or something. She's having twins, but you can have one of them if you don't want both." Mac pursed his lips.

"Hmmm? I didn't think of twins, but I know she'll probably want more. With my Petunia, it's like everything in life is like a Lays potato chip. She can't just have one." He rattled off more Spanish nonsense words to Ranger. He feigned getting excited.

"Si!" He nodded like a bobble head doll till his wig almost slipped. Mac grabbed Ranger's head to hold it still and adjust the wig.

"I guess you can tell that she's interested. Will we be able to meet this mother today?" Henried nodded. "Will we get to talk to her? I know my wife will have a ton of questions."

"I'm sure we can arrange a few extra minutes," Henried agreed.

"While were here, maybe we can discuss other business," Mac added. "We are always looking for talent for our films. Do you have any women that might be right for us?"

"I wasn't prepared to talk about that today, so another time. But, I definitely think we can help you with that."

Back at the Hyatt, the team huddled around the speaker. It was almost like they were listening to a scene being recorded for a movie. This was so surreal. Henried was incredibly nonchalant about the entire thing. It was business as usual. What a cold, heartless bastard!

The limo pulled into a parking garage of a small, five-story office building. "We haven't opened the office here yet, so the furniture is very limited. I hope you don't mind." Mac shook his head. Ranger's heart was racing. He knew she was here. He could feel it. They were so close to bringing her home that he could taste it. Because they didn't want to add any suspicion, Mac and Ranger didn't have ear pieces. They had no idea if the transmission was being picked up by the team. This would be strong evidence for their case. As much as he wanted to help with that part, he was only interested in getting Stephanie. Henried led them to the elevator and took them to the top floor. His office was in the north corner. There were six girls sitting in the reception area on the couch. _Stephanie! _She was looking down at her hands in her lap. He wanted to call out her name, or run over there and pull her to him, but stayed focused. There was an armed guard in the corner. Henried ushered them into another office.

Stephanie glanced up at the trio that just walked in. She knew they were brought there to be displayed like cattle at an auction. Holy crap, she thought, that lady is _butt_-ugly! And the dork that's with her! Hmmm….he kinda looked like Mac. But, what was up with the light blue leisure suit?

Henried brought the women in one by one. Ranger quickly dismissed each one. Finally, he brought in Stephanie. He supported her by the upper arm. Her hands were cuffed in front of her with a plastic tie. With her noticeably limping, he glanced down and saw the air cast on her right ankle. Her head was still down, and she hadn't seen them yet. "This is the one with twins that we talked about." He let go and whispered in her ear, but they could still hear him. "Don't try anything." Ranger waited for him to leave before he approached her.

Stephanie saw the big, ugly woman coming towards her, and looked up. She had this huge, goofy grin on her face. Oh please don't tell me this ugly woman is retarded too! Wait a minute. The strange thing was that it kind of looked like Ranger's smile. This ugly woman _really_ looked like….OH MY GOD!

Ranger saw the recognition in her eyes as her whole face lit up into the heart melting smile that he missed so much. "Carlos!" He pulled her into a bear hug but pulled back when she hissed. She opened her mouth to say something.

"Hold on, Babe. I don't know how much time we have. Here…" He handed her the GPS. He quickly scanned her outfit. No pockets. It was obvious she wasn't wearing a bra. "It's a GPS. We can track you back to the Stable. This way the FBI can have their case, and we can get all of you out of there. Was Inga there?" She nodded as the tears fell. He gently hugged her again.

"I didn't think you'd ever want to see me again," she whispered.

"I love you, Babe. Don't ever doubt that. I'm gonna get you outta here. I promise. I need you to hold on and be strong for me. We need you to help us find the others, okay?" She nodded.

"When are you coming for me? He's coming back soon. He's going to hurt me again." Ranger's chest tightened.

"Did Henried to this?" He ran a finger down the side of her face as he inspected her cuts and bruises. She shook her head.

"No…it was Khalid." She looked away. There was a commotion outside the door, and loud voices were overheard arguing about a phone. Ranger and Stephanie jumped apart as the door opened. A tall man, possibly of Middle Eastern descent walked in. He had two black eyes and an obviously broken nose. This must be Khalid, Ranger mused. Stephanie's eyes widening in panic confirmed to him that it was.

"Time's up." He grunted. He grabbed her roughly by the arm and shoved her towards the door. Losing her balance, she fell flat, unable to effectively brace herself because of the restraints. The GPS flew from her hand and bounced under the couch. It was out of her reach. She just fucked up the whole plan that they obviously worked so hard to put together. Shit!

Mac put an arm around Ranger to hold him back. Hearing Stephanie's quiet sobs tested the limits of his control. The man put his hands under her arm pits and hauled her back up on her feet. Ranger also took note that he cupped her breasts in the process. Forget Henried. Khalid was now marked as a dead man. Stephanie turned and gave him a sad look. She raised her hands to show him they were empty. _SHIT!_ She dropped the GPS! Khalid shoved her through the door, closed it behind them, and she was gone. Damn it! Now what the fuck were they going to do? "She dropped it," Ranger told Mac.

"What?" Mac's eyes widened.

"She dropped the GPS when he pushed her," Ranger whispered.

Back in Trenton, the team groaned. "Great!" Dickie Orr whined. "That's just fucking great. That dumb cunt ex-wife of mine blows the whole thing. Now, I'm _never_ going to get out of this mess." He dropped his head into his hands.

"You better watch your fucking mouth!" Morelli shouted while pointing a finger in his face. Raoul put a hand on Joe's shoulder to calm him down.

"Take it easy, Joe," Raoul told him. "He's not worth it." Dickie leaned back in his chair.

"Shit…that's all we need now. More advice from another fool just off the banana boat," Dickie said. "And what do you care, Morelli? Huh…you say _I'm_ not worth it? Like that bitch is worth anything? First, she's a lousy lay. Shit, Morelli, you had her once. I didn't see you go back for more. It's like fucking a dead person. It was like she was _repulsed_ by me or something……OOOWWW!" Raoul was so busy holding back Morelli that he didn't see Hal come up behind him. Hal punched Dickie so hard, he went ass over head on to the floor.

"I told you I better not hear you talk about Stephanie like that again!" Hal snapped at him. Raoul and Morelli looked at each other in shock. Dickie had blood running through his fingers as he held his nose.

"Not da dose again! Dabbit! I just hab by dose fixed!" Dickie cried. Dani poured herself a fresh cup of coffee. "Did you see dat? I wand dis piece of shit arresded!" Dani sipped her coffee as she strolled over to him.

"No, Mr. Orr. What I saw was you hitting your face on the table after you spilled your hot coffee in your lap," she explained.

"Whad coffee? I didend spill ady coffee!" She poured her cup onto his crotch. He yelped in pain again. She placed the empty cup on the table in front of him.

"You know," she said. "It's men like you that make me _so_ glad that I'm a lesbian. I've never met Stephanie Plum, but if she _was_ repulsed by you…I like her already." She turned to the other Agents in the room. "Help this piece of shit up."

Henried returned to the office. "Is everything alright?" Mac asked. "My wife was concerned with the way that man handled that pregnant girl. We are very interested in buying her babies. But, we have to know that she is going to be well taken care of so those babies are healthy." Henried nodded.

"That's fair enough. He does get a little over zealous with his job. And, we have had some issues with that one as well. All of our expectant mothers are looked after by both midwives and an obstetrician. They are given 3 healthy and well balanced meals a day with snacks. And, we give them prenatal vitamins. We allow them time outside in the yard. This one went a little crazy and jumped out of a second story window. Then another time, she attacked one of our guards," Henried explained. Ranger fought the urge to smile. Good for you, Babe, he thought. Now, he knew who broke that future corpse's nose. He gestured to the chairs in front of the desk. "Let's talk business." Ranger and Mac exchanged glances. They still had no idea if their transmission had been picked up. They had no way to advise the team to try to see if they could follow Stephanie. Shit, they didn't even know what kind of vehicle they were using. "I take it you're interested in the twins?"

"Yes, my wife and I would like to buy her babies. When are they due?" Mac asked as he and Ranger took their seats.

"October…but they usually go early. I will require a deposit to hold them and cover all the expenses….500 _firm_. Then another 500 upon delivery." Ranger told Mac in Spanish to ask about buying Stephanie. The only reason Mac knew what he was saying was because they practiced that line at the hotel. Mac nodded.

"My wife wants to know if we can take her with us. This way, we know she is being properly cared for during her pregnancy. We were looking for talent for our films. She is very beautiful. I'm sure we could use her when she gets her figure back. How much for all 3, and we take her off your hands?" Henried sat back in his chair. This was an interesting proposal. The Plum woman would be nothing but a headache. She still had a long way to go with her pregnancy. Anything could happen between now and then. She could lose one or both babies, or have complications with the delivery. And, there was Khalid. He seemed to have found a new object for his sick fantasies. If he just got rid of her now, made the same money he would have 6 months from now, and not have the added expense of taking care of her, the profit would be even higher. It would also be guaranteed. Of course, he would want the money first.

"Well, I think we could come to an arrangement for that," Henried agreed. "1.5 for all 3 of them. You can pay cash or wire transfer. Wire transfer would be preferred. I'll have our attorney work on the paperwork and passports. It will take a few days to get that together, and we'll want the money at the time of the exchange. I'll call Orr today. He will contact you with the details." Henried stood and offered his hand. "The limo will take you back to your hotel. It was a pleasure to meet you both. Congratulations on becoming parents….OW…_Christ_!" Ranger squeezed his hand until he felt his bones crunch. "You might want to tell your wife to ease up on that hand shake there." He massaged his hand. Henried opened the door to the office. Only the limo driver sat in the reception area. Stephanie and the other girls were gone.

Ranger and Mac changed and met with the rest of the team in the conference room. The Trenton team was on the phone. Ranger explained what happened with the GPS. "There was no way for me to pick it up and hand it to her." Bobby and Lester hung back because they were getting the transmission, so they weren't close enough to follow the girls back to the house. Ranger was furious with himself. Maybe should have just grabbed her while he had the chance. He felt as if he let her down by putting her back in the shark tank. The panicked look in her eyes when she saw Khalid haunted him. Please dear God, I hope he didn't rape her, Ranger silently prayed. Not his Stephanie.

"What do we do now?" Tank asked.

"I guess we have to wait till Henried contacts Orr with the deal," Durrer sighed. "Damn it! We _need _to find that house!"

Morelli had been skimming the files and reviewing all the time lines. He thought about the cell phone. "The cell phone that she used to call was a pre-paid, right?" Hector nodded. "Did anyone try to call it? See if someone answers it, and maybe we can trace it?" Hector shook his head.

"The service was cancelled. I tried it. Even if she still had the phone, she wouldn't be able to call us," Hector told him.

"But, she still could call 911. Cell phone companies can't block that number. Even if the service is shut off, you can always call 911 from any cell phone," Morelli explained. "Do you think she knows that?" Dickie, who had been sulking in the corner with an ice pack on his nose, perked up.

"She bight," he offered. "I told her dat it was impordant as by wife to bolunteer for somb cause. She spend timb at a woben's shelder." Morelli turned to Hector.

"Pull up that cell information. Did you get the tower information from that call she made?" Ranger pulse rate jump up again. Henried told them she was causing trouble. Did they catch her with the phone?

"Henried was arguing with that guard about a phone," Ranger said. "They also said she jumped out of the second story window. I don't know the time frame, but maybe she tried to get to the phone." Dickie's phone rang. Henried called to give him the details. They heard Dickie explaining that he caught a cold. The call was traced to his personal pre-paid cell and the tower. He was calling from the area of the Hartford office.

"Hmmm. I dever would hab expecdid dat…" Dickie cleared his throat as the sting of the burns on his genitals reminded him to curb his mouth. "Um….well day wand a billion 5 for all three ob dem."

"A billion and a half?" Durrer cried out in shock. Dickie shook his head.

"Dough…emb…emb….billion….shit!" He scribbled MILLION on a piece of paper. There were a few snickers. "As sood as you wire dransfer dat mondy, we can bake de exchange. I would just hab to ged a phondy passport ready." Hector let out a whoop!

"There _was_ a 911 call made!" Morelli glanced at the screen. He jotted down the information and called Robin the dispatcher at the station. She was able to give him the number for the 911 center where the call was routed. "Thanks! I owe you dinner." He called the 911 Center, and explained who he was. He was transferred to the supervisor. Joe gave him the date and time and cell information. He closed his phone. "He's going to call back in a few minutes."

"We're still going with the plan to move in ASAP…right?" Ranger asked Durrer. The waiting had been tearing him apart. Being this close to her only made it worse. This racket was bigger than he thought. A million and a half was serious money. When that much money was involved, the stakes and the level of the players were always higher. He couldn't sit still so he began to pace. The tension in the room was thicker than it had been at Rangeman all week while they waited for that phone call.

Finally, it came. Half of them jumped when Joe's cell rang. Dickie was so startled that he spilled his fresh, hot cup of coffee down the front of his shirt. "God dabbit!" Morelli answered the call. He listened for a few seconds then thanked the supervisor as he scribbled the address.

"809 Locke Lane, Yorktown Heights, NY, 10598. They received the call, but no one was there. Sent a car to investigate. The owner said that some kids must be messing around, and that everything was fine," Joe told them eagerly. Everyone began talking at once, excited about finding the house. Hector pulled up the address. It was a huge place on almost five acres, surrounded by trees, swimming pool in backyard, guest house, and in a quiet neighborhood. Durrer immediately called his superiors to coordinate the raid. He would have to work with the local FBI branch and local PD and get the warrants prepared.

"We need to pack up and get over there," Ranger ordered. "Get us hotel rooms close by." They grabbed their gear and headed towards Yorktown Heights. Durrer and Dani worked remotely in conjunction with the local FBI to get everything set up. The team met at the FBI headquarters, and they worked through the night to prepare for the pre-dawn raid.

Ranger was too keyed up to sleep. His team would back up the FBI and recover victims only. That suited him just fine. That way, he could focus on finding Stephanie. He just got off the phone with Raoul. The crew back in Trenton would just have to sit tight and wait for word after the raid was done. Now was the time he had to be the sharpest and most focused. He pushed aside the memories of the bruises and scrapes on her face. The panic in her eyes. Even that heart melting smile when she realized it was him. He even had to squash the hatred for Khalid. He couldn't let anything off balance him now.

The FBI encircled the house. With the surrounding trees, there was plenty of cover. Once the front door was kicked in, there was no turning back. Ranger felt his heart pounding in his chest. The blood whooshing through the veins in his head was deafening. The Rangeman team was to give the FBI five minutes before entering the house. "FBI…." The crash of the front door signaled it was game time. The following five minutes seemed like hours. Bobby, Tank, and Lester would focus on the others while Ranger and Mac would concentrate on finding Stephanie.

Now, it was their turn. The FBI had subdued five of the six armed guards. Tank directed Bobby and Lester to start rounding up the girls. So far, no sign of Stephanie. Ranger and Mac searched the upstairs. Still no Stephanie. Bobby was checking the girls for any injuries in the living room where they had gathered. He recognized Inga from her pictures. "Do you know where Stephanie is?" Ranger and Mac rejoined them in the living room, and Durrer and his team were cuffing and questioning the guards. "She's in the basement." Ranger quickly scanned the captured men for Khalid and Henried. Not there. The girls confirmed there were six guards.

"Where's the basement door?" Inga pointed to the hall. Ranger broke from the group with Mac on his heels. He frantically searched but there was no door. "_Where _in the hall?"

"It's hidden behind the bookcase," a red headed girl told him. Shit! They felt along the bookcase until Mac found the latch. With a loud click, the bookcase popped open. A narrow staircase led to the darkened and dank basement. Ranger cautiously crept down the stairs with his gun drawn. Being an older home, the basement was like a catacomb. An exposed bulb at the end of a long hall cast an eerie glow. Mac had his back as they tread softly down the hall.

He came to the first opening. The dim light revealed a body lying on its side. Ranger whipped out a small flashlight. He tried to swallow the huge lump that popped up in his throat. The dream like déjà vu feeling washed over him. The body had blonde hair. She was wearing a hospital gown….and….there was blood pooled on the ground from between her legs. No, he silently prayed, please don't let me be too late. He crossed the room on legs that threatened to collapse. It was like that horrible dream was replaying in his mind. Time seemed to stand still. "Babe?" The body wasn't moving. He knelt down and turned her towards him. He saw those lifeless blue eyes and sank to the floor.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: The story was supposed to end with the cliff hanger of Chapter 30. But due to overwhelming response, and the fact that so many of you seemed to get emotionally attached to my characters, I have decided to add a little epilogue. This was actually part of the Prologue of the next story. I just felt it was important for my readers to get that Ranger and Stephanie reunion now, and not have to wait months till I finish the next story. There are still plenty of loose ends for me to wrap up in the beginning of the next story. So as a little fan appreciation, I give you an epilogue!

**Epilogue**

"Oh thank God," he whispered as he dropped his head against the wall.

"Is it her?" Mac asked. Ranger shook his head. Mac blew out a deep breath. He didn't need to check the body for a pulse. The grayish hue where the blood had settled in the dependant parts of her body confirmed that she had been dead for a while. The young girl's stomach was still swollen. He assumed that she had recently given birth, and they either let her die or killed her. The sounds of a scuffle resonated in the quiet basement. Ranger jumped to his feet.

"It's time now, Bitch!" A low growl came from an unseen male followed by a frightened whimper. _Stephanie! _They rushed to the source of her cries and the sounds of struggle. Plastic ties held Stephanie's wrists in place on the metal cot. She was face down, pants pulled down to expose her bruised behind. Khalid knelt on the backs of her calves as he stroked himself. Time seemed to have slowed down. That horrible dream flooded his senses. Ranger snapped. All sense of control went out the window. This time, there was nothing holding him back. He dropped his gun and charged Khalid.

Stephanie heard what almost sounded like the roar of a lion. The weight of Khalid was pulled off her body. After a sickening crunch, Khalid dropped to the floor with a dull thud. "Babe?"

"Carlos?" Turning her head, his face came into view. She felt his hands gently and slowly slide her pants back in place. Then, she watched as pulled a knife from his boot and started to carefully remove the plastic from her wrists. Stephanie launched herself at Ranger and threw her arms around his neck. Ignoring the soreness from her tender breasts, the comfort from his equally strong embrace was exactly what she needed. "C-can I go with you th-this time? _Please?_ I don't want to stay h-here anymore."

He buried his face in her hair and nodded. He couldn't answer her for fear his voice would crack. _Christ_, what did he send her back to? "I've got you, Babe," he whispered. "You're safe now. I'm going to take you home." Upon hearing his soothing voice, she broke down.

"I'm s-sorry, Carlos!" she cried. "I'm _so_ sorry!" He squeezed her tight.

"Don't!" he commanded. "Don't apologize. You didn't do _anything_ wrong. It's _not_ your fault." He nodded to Mac. "Sweep the rest of the basement." Ranger focused his gaze on the doorway as Mac made his search. Mac returned after a couple a minutes and shook his head.

"We're clear." Ranger cocked his head towards the staircase.

"Let Tank know we're okay. We'll be up in a minute." Mac gave a curt nod and left. Ranger wanted to give Stephanie some time to collect herself. Shit, he needed time to collect _himself_ as well. When her cries turned to sniffles, he pulled back and gently tilted her chin up to look in her eyes. "Are you okay?" She swiped the back of her hand across her eyes as her chest hitched.

"I am now," she answered. He wiped away the remaining tears with his thumbs. He bent his head forward and tenderly brushed his lips across the bruise on her cheek, and then the cut on her lip. Her eyes widened in surprise to see his own eyes moistened as a single tear rolled down his face. She reached up with a trembling hand and dragged her index finger along its path. He nestled his head into her palm. No words were needed as they made eye contact. No blank face. No mask. She could see deep into his soul. Love. Guilt. Pain. Sadness. It was all there. "I love you, Carlos." The corners of his mouth twitched but never turned to a smile. He pulled her to him again.

"God…I love you, too, Stephanie," he replied. "This is all _my_ fault, Babe. There were things I didn't tell you because I didn't want to upset you for no reason. When we get home, we are going to have a _long_ talk. I'll tell you everything in detail. But, I need you to know that I _didn't_ sleep with Jeanne Ellen. She lied about the whole thing. The pregnancy and the miscarriage. I had no idea that she couldn't have kids. That's the God's honest truth. Please…believe me." She nodded and gave him a sad smile.

"I _do_ believe you." He sighed and hugged her tight again.

"Thank you," he whispered. Nuzzling her neck, he allowed them a few more minutes for their private reunion. "I promise I owe you a long talk when we get home, but now, we've got to wrap this mess up. Let's go." He rose to his feet, pulling her with him. She glanced back at Khalid's body. The grotesque angle of his neck left no question as to what ended his life. "He's dead. You won't have to worry about him ever again." He spotted his gun on the floor and bent to retrieve it. As he straightened up, his attention was drawn to the curve of her belly. Her stomach had been flat the last time they were together. Now, it was slightly rounded. He splayed his hand across the new little development. And for the first time since she had been missing, his face brightened with his 200 watt grin. "When did this happen?" She glanced down at his hand.

"When did _what_ happen?" Her eyes expanded as she saw the first signs of a baby bump. "Shit." Her hands flew to the little bulge. She had been able to _feel_ it for a while now, but this was the first time she could actually _see_ it. "That was _so_ not there last night!" Placing his hands on her hips, his gave her belly a slow and lingering kiss before standing up straight.

"Come on, Babe," Ranger told her as he took her hand in his. "There are a few people upstairs that I know are anxious to see you." He snaked an arm around her waist to help support her. She paused just outside of the gate, and turned to him.

"Carlos?" He raised his eyebrows. She splayed her hands on his chest. "Don't take this the wrong way but…." She lowered her eyes and bit her lip. Ranger gently placed two fingers under her chin and tilted her head up to meet his gaze. "Um…you really were an _ugly_ woman. Oh my God! Lester was a lot prettier than you were, but…you do have a much better ass."

"Babe."


End file.
